Before the Gender and Development…

Gender is simply a casual notion of distinction as male or female, man or woman,

and boy or girl indicative of the stereotype generalization of the differences of each
gender. Nonetheless, common concepts such as Gender role assignment, gender bias
or seemingly gender discrimination and among others are generally perceived neither
positive nor negative, nor given much emphasis as abusive, discriminatory or
suppressive toward the other. These observations are simply inaccurate, non-
conventional, and even non-exclusive trait generalizations of the male and female. Each
person has individual desires, thoughts, and feelings, regardless of their gender.
However, these irrelevant assumptions are incredibly tolerated and accepted that do not
necessarily describe either the negative or the positive attributes of person of each
gender.
Here are some examples to simplify on how society works before Gender and
Development was formed (Gains in Gender Mainstreaming: The Philippine Experience,
2006):

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B. Gender and Development: Historical Background
The United Nations Charter of 1945 and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights in 1948 established the first official worldwide recognition of women’s equality
and non-discrimination on the basis on sex. However up until the late 1960’s the focus
was on women’s reproductive roles, as women were seen as wives and mothers and
their main issues were supposed to be obtaining access to food, contraceptives, nutrition
and health care.
The 70’s and 80’s marked a new paradigm shift in which the debate moved
women not just their inclusion but extended the domestic sphere of women’s role as
wives and mothers onto the global stage where the role of women was promoted as vital
aid for every economic development. The important events such as the First World
Conference for Women held in Mexico 1974, the UN decade for women “76-85” and the
promotion of the Women In Development (WID) approach emphasised women’s right to
development, recognition of women’s economic role in national economies and, most
significantly, gave a voice to women in developing countries.
Some of the shortcoming of the approaches such as the WID applied in the 70’s
were that they fell short of improving unequal relationships, and a significant number of
projects were unsustainable as development projects failed to consider the multiple
roles carried out by women, leading to a development model that in the end
disadvantaged women.
In the late 80’s the Gender and Development (GAD) approach was developed
with the idea of improving the development model by “removing disparities in social,
economic, and political balances between women and men as a pre-condition for
achieving people-centred development” (GWA, 2006:11).
Gender and Development developed in the 1980’s as an alternative to the
Women in Development (WID) approach. Unlike WID, the GAD approach is not
concerned specifically with women, but with the way in which a society assigns roles,
responsibilities, and expectations to both men and women. GAD applies gender analysis
to uncover the ways in which men and women work together, presenting results in
neutral terms of economics and competence.
GAD focuses primarily on two major frameworks, Gender Roles and Social
Relations Analysis. Gender role focuses on social construction of identities within the
household; it also reveals the expectations from ‘maleness and femaleness’ in their
relative access to resources. Social relations analysis exposes the social dimensions of
hierarchical power relations imbedded in social institutions; also it’s determining
influence on ‘the relative position of men and women in society. In an attempt to create
gender equality, (denoting women having same opportunities as men, including ability to
participate in the public sphere) GAD policies aim to redefine traditional gender role
expectations.
However, since the 1990’s the gender perspective is still struggling to be clearly
set into the development agenda of international treaties or objectives such as the
Millennium Development Goals. The principles only focus on gender equality and did not
give much emphasis on women’s accessibility to other development opportunities
(Bunch, 2006).
The following framework will show how Gender and Development
implementation has evolved through the century. Its focus is explicitly adjusted to
address relevantly and responsively the perennial problems of development worldwide
(Bunch, 2006). With this recent framework, the adjustment has focused on the
integration of all GAD appropriations, allocations, programs and activities, and other
interventions in every unit of social development recognizing the mutual and
complementary roles of both sexualities regardless of gender orientation to the total
human development.

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C. Gender: A Social Reality
Gender as it is strongly believed is evidently a social construction which resulted
from the sociocultural influences along the process of an individual's development
(Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2005). Therefore, GENDER IDENTITY can be affected by
social various factors and it may also appear different from one society to another
depending on the way the members of society evaluate and understand these unique
roles attributed one as female or male.
More so, one’s gender identity can be influenced from the ethnic origin of the
group, their traditional practices, mores, and beliefs as salient framework of their cultural
background like family values and religion. Hence, most often people confused or
misused the terms gender and sex. The latter refers to one’s personal orientation while
the term sex refers to the biological distinction of being male and female (Schneider,
Gruman & Coutts, 2005). To make the distinction clearer one could consider that we
inherit the sex but we learn our gender (Boss, 2008).
Gender is more than a mental construct but a tangible structural feature of
society which provides sociological significance to society to device appropriate social
controls among its members (Henslin, 2006), such as rules, policies, guidelines or
ordinances aiming to protect and secure each gender individual rights and privileges (
e.g. separated comfort rooms, lanes, R.A provisions, etc.)
Moreover, gender could socially categorize people like SOCIAL CLASS and race
that can even lead to undue prejudice and discrimination. Thus, PREJUDICE is a set of
unreasonable attitudes, more likely unfavorable, towards members of a particular group.
DISCRIMINATION on the other hand, is an overt negative behaviors towards a person
based on his or her membership in a group (Pennsylvania State University, 2011).
Once there are different negative treatments towards other people based on their
sex the term SEXISM is defined with this behavior. Sexism refers to any bias against an
individual or group based on the individual's or group's sex (Schneider, Gruman &
Coutts, 2005, p.340).
In addition, gender discrimination is term or behavior associated to sexism
against an individual as indicative stereotyped beliefs against women in particular.
STEREOTYPES are baseless assumptions about the characteristics, attributes, and
behaviors of members of certain groups and most of them are sociocultural beliefs
(Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2005).
So, stereotype ideas and beliefs regarding women, in spite of the many efforts to
change and improve this relation, they (stereotypes) are still evident across countries
and in modern cultures. Unfortunately, discrimination of women in several countries
around the world such as in Arab countries, Africa and India have not changed much
and women are still considered minority and are deprived of equal access and denied of
their basic rights in their societies than their males counterparts (Henslin, 2006). This
variation regarding gender perspectives around the world makes prominent that gender
identity is influenced by social variables and has little to do with biological variables.
The idea of social construction of gender sees society, not biological sex
differences, as the basis for gender identity (Anderson, Logio & Taylor, 2005). There are
many different processes by which the expectations associated with being a boy or a girl

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is passed on through society. For instance one could see this from the moment a child
comes into the world and from the fact that he/she has to face a "blue" or "pink" reality.
The SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION of gender could be reinforced by the way parents
behave toward their children, by their expectations about how their children should
behave and act, by the toys parents allowed children to play with as well as the type
and colour of wears they buy for them. For example girls are supposed to play with dolls
and be sweet and emotional while boys are supposed to play with action figures and be
aggressive and rational. Therefore clothes, toys, and even the language used with
young children follow the trend of stereotyping gender. Children learn by modelling and
the messages they receive and on how they should act accordingly. An example similar
to the dress code we having for children can also be seen with adults, particularly in the
colours, fabrics and designs specific to each gender. Another example is the situation of
a female working in the business field where they are expected to dress in masculine
way in order to be considered successful and to be taken more seriously. This could
demonstrate again how social influences affect gender expectations and shape
behaviors and norm regarding gender.
Apart from the FAMILY, which is the first agent of socialization and learning
gender identity, children learn from other sources such as SCHOOL. Starting from the
first years of school, including day care center years, children learn their gender identity
from playing and interacting with other children and care providers. By visiting a child
care program one may notice that the environment is arranged in ways to promote
gender identity. Most likely there will be an area staged as the housekeeping corner
where girls play and there will be another area with building blocks and tool kit items
where the boys play. However it is believed by several that the kind of toys and roles
children play affect their future and the skills they learn. Playing with blocks is
considered giving experience in spatial relations and in mathematical concepts, while
playing with dolls and dramatic role playing is associated with learning to be a nurturer
(Conzalez-Mena, 2006).
As children grow, more stereotype ideas are learned regarding which subjects
are favorable and suitable for each gender. For instance the most obvious example is
math and probably all of us have heard the notion that boys are better in math than girls.
Therefore one could see that again social influence affects perception about gender
identity and roles. However perceptions such as this can lead to stereotype threads
which are the fear or nervousness that one's behavior will exemplify a negative
stereotype about his/her in-group and thereby in essence confirming the accuracy of the
stereotype.
Furthermore, the MEDIA also affects and influences gender identity. For instance
children are constantly bombarded with shows depicting gender stereotype models from
toys marketed as for boys or girls, to children's TV programs and shows. It is common
for the children's programs to emphasize the role of the MALE "hero" who saves the
weak female. Children interpret these messages as "real life" which shapes their reality,
behavior, and expectations of their gender role. However, the social construction of
gender does not happen only once and does not stop with children. It continues
throughout the rest of our lives and influences our perspective and the way we view
things and situations. Benevolent sexism involves the attribution of typically positive
traits or qualities towards women but these traits are derive from stereotypes that
see women in limited ways and often stem from male-centered perspectives
(Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2005).
Additionally, cultural and religious beliefs and attitudes have a serious impact on
gender identity and in many cases promote stereotype beliefs against women and lead
to gender discrimination. When it comes to culture and religious influences in a society
regarding the view of gender, the authors believe the concept sexism is appropriate to
describe this situation. Sexism is an attitude that is held by many people as an
acceptable social norm in their respective communities (Aronson, Wilson, & Akert,
2011).
Once a particular norm is explicitly introduce and practice, people living within
that society will tend to adapt these norms even one has perceived it as bias or
discriminatory. For instance when a society, due to religious and cultural reasons, view
women as weak or inferior people, the society will develop the same views and will act
accordingly. One can see this practice in many Muslim countries and also with different
religious groups, even in our own country. People tend to conform to their group and will
do the same even when they engage in discriminatory behaviors as they want to fit in
and be accepted by their group which is known as normative conformity (Aronson, et al.,
2011).
Society constructs our gender and categorizes its members similar as it does
with age, ethnicity, race, social class and status. However, the categorization according
to gender is another way of manipulating members of a society and to promote
inequalities. There are obvious biological and anthropological differences between the

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two sexes but we cannot use these differences to infer conclusions and provide
stereotyped models about gender. As mentioned in the beginning sexism is the term that
accounts for gender discrimination and has different forms. One of them already
mentioned is benevolent sexism characterized by positive but stereotyped views of
women. Contrarily another form is hostile sexism which is characterized by negative
stereotypical views towards women. For instance hostile sexism views of women are
centered on beliefs that women are inferior to men due to superficial views that one can
hold again women. Lastly another form of sexism is ambivalent sexism which holds
views of both hostile and benevolent sexist attitudes simultaneously (Schneider, Gruman
& Coutts, 2005).

Gender and Development Mainstreaming

Mainstreaming or integrating gender into development planning in all sectors of
society requires a uniform understanding of various concepts. These concepts include
the concept of gender as compared with sex, and the concept of mainstreaming or
integration itself. The rationale for mainstreaming and the gains that could be achieved
from such a strategy should also be clearly understood.
Development on the other hand is the sustained capacity to achieve a better life.
For a nation or community, having a better life means members have a higher life
expectancy and enjoy a higher quality of life. Quality of life involves: a) the capacity to
do; and b) the capacity to be. Underlying these capacities is the freedom of choice.
Hence, development is also about expanding the range of choices for people (Sen,
1988). It is for all, equally for women and men. However, development has a gender
dimension that was not recognized until recently. Because men were perceived as
dominant in the productive sphere, and because of the secondary importance given to
reproductive functions, male needs and concerns became the focus of development
initiatives, with the assumption that these concerns apply to all. This so-called gender
blindness led to the neglect of concerns particular to women. The neglect is now being
redressed through affirmative action in which women are given the advantage so they
can catch up in areas where they have fallen behind, and through policy and program
formulation that considers the specific needs of women and men. These actions are
said to be gender-responsive and are aimed at promoting gender equality and
eliminating discrimination in development.
Hence, development aims at the fulfillment of three (3) basic human needs:
1. The ability to provide for basic necessities;
2. The ability to become persons with identity, dignity and self-worth; and
3. The ability to exercise freedom and responsibility.

E. Gender and Development (GAD)

Gender and Development (GAD) refers to the development perspective and
process that is participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence,
respectful of human rights, supportive of self-determination and actualization of human
potentials. It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that should be
reflected in development choices and contends that women are active agents of
development, not just passive recipients of development (www.popcom.gov.ph cited in
POPCOM TOT on SOGIE Workbook).
Gender and Development (GAD) as an approach and practice perspective
should be carried out by all, especially those working in the government. Some people
will think that studying gender and development is difficult and it is only for technical
people or those experts who studied gender. Gender and development can be learned
by everyone because inherently, people are gendered being upon which they are able to
identify which role to assume while society nurtures these roles. Gender and
Development therefore is inevitably everywhere.
The rationale of the Gender and Development is generally summed up through
the following:
1. Compliance. The General Appropriations Act (GAA) states that our
government should have a GAD Program to which at least 5% of an agency’s total
budget should be allotted.

2. Commitment. The Philippines is committed internationally by virtue of being a

signatory in the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW) or otherwise known as the International Bill on Rights of Women. As a
signatory to this international law, which was signed by 179 countries, the Philippines is
committed for Gender and Development.

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 • Nationally, the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article II. Section 14 states that “The
State recognizes the role of women in nation building and shall promote the
FUNDAMENTAL EQUALITY before the law of women and men.” As well as the
Magna Carta of Women (MCW) – R.A. 9710 establishes the Philippine
government’s pledge of commitment to the CEDAW. It is the local translation of
the provisions of the CEDAW, particularly in defining gender discrimination, state
obligations, substantive equality, and temporary special measures (Republic Act
9710).

• Developed countries have commitment to the underdeveloped and developing

countries through the development goals or plan. Development is not for an
individual person or country; development should be communal or worldwide.

This commitment is translated through the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) –

2000-2015.
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop globe partnership for development.

What has been achieved so far?

The Guardian, reports that “The millennium development goals have targeted
eight key areas – poverty, education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health,
disease, and the environment and global partnership. Each goal is supported by 21
specific targets and more than 60 indicators.” Looking at MDG 3, about two-thirds of
developing countries have achieved gender parity in primary education.

F. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2016 – 2030 has 17 Goals which are:
1. No poverty.
2. Zero hunger.
 3. Good health and well-being.
4. Quality education.
5. Gender equality.
6. Clean water and sanitation.
7. Affordable and clean energy.
8. Decent work and economic growth.
9. Industry innovation and infrastructure.
10. Reduced inequalities.
11. Sustainable cities and communities
12. Responsible consumption and production.
13. Climate action
14. Life below water.
15. Life on land.
16. Peace, justice and strong institutions.
17. Partnerships for the goals.
Nationally, the government has Philippine Development Plan (2011 – 2016, then
PDP 2017 – 2022). The PDP has three pillars: Malasakit or enhancing the social fabric,
Pagbabago or inequality-reducing transformation, and Patuloy na Pag-unlad or
increasing growth potential.
The PDP 2017-2022 is the first of the four phrases in achieving the goals of
Ambisyon 2040.
3. Obligation: Gender and Development is an obligation of the government.
Development that is national and has a government that advocates:
- Good governance;
- Inclusive growth;
- Quality, equitable, culture-based, and complete basic education; and
- Gender equality
Source: Pantawid GAD/GST Customized Session Guides, 2017.www.popcom.gov.ph
(GAD definition & POPCOM-NCR Workbook on SOGIE TOT)

For the past many years, our country has had a history of gender bias deeply
ingrained in our culture. To address this, we have pioneered in gender mainstreaming as
a strategy for promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality in government.
This came alive in 1989, when a development plan for women was formulated -

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addressing not just social concerns but also gender issues in the economic sector,
infrastructure, science and technology. This plan ran parallel with the country’s medium-
term development plan. But knowing that gender biases deeply rooted in culture cannot
be removed in a six-year term, a 30-year perspective plan for gender-responsive
development was formulated in 1995 aligned with the areas of concern of the Beijing
Platform for Action.
The Women in Development and Nation-building Act of 1992 mandated all
government agencies to “review and revise all their regulations, circulars, issuances and
procedures to remove gender biases therein.” It also paved the way for gender
budgeting, when a provision for all government agencies to allocate at least 5% of their
total budgets for gender and development concerns was added to the annual General
Appropriations Act beginning 1995.
Over a decade, gender mainstreaming has resulted in the following:
• better coordination among national agencies to produce sex-disaggregated
data on 20 priority indicators to monitor progress in the implementation of CEDAW,
Beijing Platform for Action, and the MDGs and the national plan for women;
• formation and capacity building of gender focal points in national agencies as
well as local government units responsible for formulating their agency Gender and
Development plans and advocating for their GAD budgets;
• establishment of eight gender resource centers nationwide and a pool of
gender experts to provide technical assistance to regional line agencies and local
government units;
• development of a Gender Mainstreaming Resource Kit composed of five
modules and guidebooks for training, planning and evaluation;
• development of the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines for
Project Development, Implementation and Monitoring and Evaluation used in appraising
the gender-responsiveness of project proposals. These guidelines were launched by no
less than the President herself (Pres. Macapagal-Arroyo) during the 30th anniversary of
NCRFW in 1994;
• development of an assessment tool to gauge the gender-responsiveness of
local government units and integration of gender indicators in the local and community-
based monitoring systems;
• more focused gender mainstreaming in key sectoral programs such as
microenterprise, reproductive health and anti-violence against women.