GENDER

SENSITIVITY
Presented by DESGonzales
3/21/2022
Philippine Statistics Authority
Misamis Oriental Provincial Statistical Office
 BLESSING PRAYER
In blessing our foreheads,
we reclaim the power of reason

In blessing our eyes,

we reclaim the power of vision to see clearly the forces of life and death
in our midst

In blessing our lips,

we reclaim the power to speak the truth about our experiences. We claim
the power to name

In blessing our hands,

we reclaim our power as artisans of a new humanity

In blessing our feet,

we claim the power to walk the path of our courageous foreparents
and when necessary to forge new paths

In blessing each other,

we claim the power that rests collectively
in our shared struggles as men and women. Amen
CONTEXT
One of the issues that confront the women and children in
society is violence.
Violence against women and children is one issue which
comes in many forms. It could be physical, emotional,
verbal, sexual and economic.
Though not all signs of violence are visible its effects are
very damaging, painful and traumatic. It affects how the
victims relate with themselves and with others and it leads
to biases against gender.
Gender as a social development issue is very
prevalent but many still fail to recognize it, avoid
talking about it and even do everything to hide it.

Women and children are also those mostly affected

by the Covid-19 pandemic. They are more exposed
and at risk of being infected, discriminated and
abused due to their vulnerability, multiple roles and
burden and disadvantaged status.
Since many still think of gender sensitivity as a war
between sexes

Inclusion of it in education helps both male and

female to better understand sex and gender. It will
lessen the assumptions and generalizations about the
two sexes.
Awareness is not enough for this advocacy to be
effective. There should also be open-mindedness
and acceptance.
EXPECTATION SETTING

What do you expect you would become after this session?

OBJECTIVES

a. Bring out the participants’ perceptions on the differences

and similarities of male and female by identifying as many
as possible, characteristics, qualities, adjectives, roles and
activities associated with the male and female sex;

b. Understand the difference between sex and gender and

how sex relate to gender by knowing the biological or
physiological characteristics between males and
females and the culturally and socially learned
expectations and behaviors associated with being male
or female;
OBJECTIVES

c. Know the salient points of Republic Act 9170 that

recognize, protect and fulfill the rights of Filipino women;

d. Formulate a vision for a gender fair and just community

with high regard to effective and efficient public service;

e. Commit to the development of a gender sensitive

community by avoiding discrimination and stereotyping of
people and promoting gender equality.
FLOW
9:15 Expectation Setting, Objectives, Presentation of Flow

9:20 Activity 1: Characteristics of Men and Women

Film Showing: Impossible Dream
Activity 2: Role of Men and Women

9:40 Input 1: Sex and Gender

10:00 Input 2: Manifestation of Gender Bias

Input 3: Vision of a Gender Fair Society

10:30 Input 4: Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710)

11:00 Activity 3: Call to Action/Synthesis
Closing Activity
Closing Prayer
ACTIVITY 1 Workshop: Role of Men and Women

a. Write down as many characteristics, qualities, adjectives, roles

and activities you know and can think of that are associated with
the male and female sex.
ACTIVITY 1 Workshop: Role of Men and Women

b. Which characteristics are interchangeable between females and

males two in the third column?
ACTIVITY 1 Workshop: Role of Men and Women

c. Which characteristics cannot be inter-changed?

FILM SHOWING:

The Impossible Dream

An animated film which portrays the experiences of both

men and women at home and in the workplace, the
woman being multiple-burdened
1) What are the roles/responsibilities of the husband and
of the wife in the film? Compare their lives
2) What is the dream about? Why did she have that
dream?
3) How does society portray the roles of men and
women?
The main message or
core value advanced by
society, particularly
through the social and
political institutions is
the sexual division of
labor or “production-
reproduction divide:”
i. Production is the
creation of
commodities, i.e.,
goods and services for
exchange. It has an
economic and social
value and is therefore
paid. Production is
traditionally viewed as
men’s sphere;
ii. Reproduction includes not
just the bearing of children,
but also the other tasks
associated with it:
childbearing and
maintenance of the
household. Although these
activities are necessary for
survival, it is perceived as not
having any economic and
social value. Reproduction is
traditionally viewed as
women’s sphere.
Gender issues result
because in reality, women
are also engaged in
production – they are also
found in factories,
plantations or offices; take
on income-earning work
within the home; or render
unpaid work in family fields
or enterprises.
The sexual division of labor also
extends to community or political
affairs by which the productive
sphere is also called the public
sphere where men are
recognized as the decision-
makers; and the reproductive or
private sphere where women’s
involvement in matter beyond
home and family is limited to that
of community management
workers or volunteers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ulh0DnFUGsk
What is sex?

Sex refers to the physical characteristics of a

person and is biologically determined.

By this, we can mean that sex is inherent – from God,

nature. You are born male or female – you cannot
change it, you did not choose it.
The sex of a person is determined by the reproductive
parts of our body.
MALE
Male reproductive system with male reproductive
organs (penis, testicles and sperm), hormones
(testosterone, androgen) and chromosomes (xy).
FEMALE
Female reproductive organs (vagina, ovaries, and ova,
mammary glands, fallopian tube, and uterus),
hormones (progesterone and estrogen) and
chromosomes (xx).
Aside from the difference in
sex or reproductive systems,
are there any other differences
between male and female?
If we look at both male and female from head to toe, we will
notice that except for the reproductive organs

• they have basically the same physical characteristics.

• they both have a head, a pair of eyes, nose, two ears, a

mouth, a pair hands and feet.
Even the non-visible parts of the body have no differences:
✓ brain
✓ heart
✓ intestines
✓ lungs
✓ Stomach
✓ etc.

Yet, many believe that female ways and manners differ from
males. This can be true in some instances but not
necessarily true at all time. This is where gender roles come
What is gender?
Gender refers to the traits that are attached to a particular
sex. If sex is physical or biological, gender is cultural or
social.

Gender refers to the characteristics that culture or society

teaches and expects from people based on their sex. For
example, we think males having masculine traits and
females having the feminine traits.
If you are a masculine

 then you must be brave, intelligent, aggressive,

decisive and resilient.

 On the other hand, being feminine, means you are

sweet-tempered, demure, nurturing and emotional.
Because gender characteristics are attached to a
specific sex
 masculine traits are exclusive to the male
 feminine traits are exclusive to the females.
This is where the problem lies.
 Prescribing these characteristics to specific sex
has resulted to specific expectations from each
sex.
 masculine traits are considered superior and
are valued more.
What is the difference between sex and gender?
SEX GENDER
Biological/physical Cultural/social
Natural (inherent / Taught/nurtured (acquired /
in-born) learned)
Cannot be changed Can be changed
(permanent / fixed) (impermanent)
Pre-determined Culturally determined (with
(without choice) choice)
Universal Time-bound; place-bound
 Gavino “Vins” Santiago
First Transgender
in the Philippines

He had Sex Reassignment

Surgery (SRS) in 1986 at 24
years old and became Vinna
Santiago

Married Steve Robinson

Common reasons why some undergo In 1993 he gave up being

operation is the desire to be accepted, Vinna, had a haircut,
to belong, and to be the person they remove the breast implants,
once wanted to be, fulfillment, and stopped hormone injections
happiness
Now a pastor of the Bagong
Vins is now active in testifying his life-changing story to other
Ilog Chrisian Fellowship
people. He also counsels homosexuals, encouraging them that “it
is better to let it out in the open for a better chance of resolving the
issue, rather than boxing it in.”
Gender sensitivity is the awareness of the situation
of the other sex, acceptance and recognition of the
roles and duties and responsibilities of women and
men in the community and the relationships between
them.

One does not treat either sex base on traditional and

outdated views on the roles of women and men.
It can be shown through the use of more inclusive or
gender neutral language, by not pitting women against
men and by respecting each other’s needs, aspirations,
potentials and abilities/skills.

One is able to recognize issues related to gender and the

different perceptions and interests of women due to their
different social position and gender roles.
 Examples of Gender- Sensitive Language
Occupational References
BIASED BIAS-FREE
alumni graduates
chairman, chairwoman chair, chairperson
committee man, committee woman committee member
corporate wife corporate spouse
faculty wife faculty spouse
freshman first-year student
front man front, figurehead
hostess host
housewife, househusband homemaker
middleman go-between
man and wife husband and wife
ombudsman troubleshooter
self-made man self-made person, entrepreneur
spokesman spokesperson
 Role References
BIASED BIAS-FREE
businessman business executive, entrepreneur
career girl, career woman professional, manager, executive
cleaning lady cleaner
delivery boy courier, messenger
forememan supervisor
girl Friday clerk, office assistant, receptionist
insurance man insurance agent
ladlady, landlord proprietor, building manager
mailman mail carrier, letter carrier
newsman journalist, reporter
policeman police officer
repairman repairer, technician
saldelady, salesman sales clerk, sales representative, sales agent
serviceman service representative
steward, stewardess flight attendant
waitress waiter, server
workman worker
 Group References
BIASED BIAS-FREE
brotherhood kinship, community
common man common person, avarage person
country men compatriot
fatherland native land
fellowship camaraderie
forefathers ancestors, forebears
fraternal warm, intimate
Frenchmen the Frence
man, mankind humankind, humanity, humans
mother tongue native language
rise of man rise of civilization
thinking man thinking person, thinker, intellectual
working man, working woman wage earner, taxpayer
 Other Stereotypes
BIASED BIAS-FREE
king-size jumbo, gigantic
kingmaker power behind the throne
lady woman
ladylike courteous, cultured
like a man resolutely, bravely
maiden name birth name
maiden voyage first voyage
man (verb) staff, run
man enough strong enough
manhood adulthood
manly strong, mature
manpower human resources
master (noun) owner, expert, chief, superior
master (verb) learn, succeed at, overcome
master (adj) expert, gifted, accomplished
master of ceremonies host, emcee, moderator, convenor
 Other Stereotypes
BIASED BIAS-FREE
masterful skilled, authoritative, commanding
mastermind (noun) genius, creator, instigator
mastermind (verb) oversee, launch, originate
masterpiece work of genius, chef d'oeuvre
masterplan comprehensive plan, vision
masterstroke trump card, stroke of genius
manmade artificial, synthetic, machine-made
man of action dynamo
man of letters scholar, writer, literary figure
man of the world sophisticate
man-hour staff hours, hours of work
motherly loving, warm, nurturing
one-up manship upstaging, competitiveness
statesman diplomat, public servant, political leader
workmanship quality construction, expertise
 Turns of Phrase
BIASED
All men are created equal
be his own boss
best man for the job
Boys will be boys
everybody and his brothers
Every man for himself
A man's home is his castle
John Q Public
Every schoolboy knows
gentleman's agreement
no-man's-land
to a man
Compiled by Service-Growth Consultants Inc., May 2003
BIAS-FREE
We are all created equal
be one's own person
best person for the job
Kids will be kds
everybody and his cousins
Everyone for themselves
Your home is your castle
the average citizen
Every school child knows
honourable/informal agreement
limbo, unclaimed territory
to a person, without exception
The gender socialization process and gendering institutions

a. The process of learning and internalizing culturally

approved ways of thinking, feeling, behaving according
to one’s gender is known as gender role socialization. In
other words, gender socialization refers to the raising
and maturation of a person into a given gender.
Learning of gender roles begin in the early stages of childhood.

As an outcome, male gender roles and female gender roles develop.

i. Female gender roles are associated with appropriate
concepts of femininity and traits such as submissiveness,
modesty, and nurturance.
ii. Male gender roles are associated with appropriate concepts of
masculinity and traits such as dominance and
aggressiveness
iii.Gender stereotypes pervade in society. These are fixed,
unquestioned beliefs, images we carry in the back of our
minds about women and men.
Four processes involved in a child’s learning of gender identity
a. Manipulation – people handle girls and boys differently, even as infants –
more physical and visual on male infants, more verbal stimulation on female
infants.
b. Canalization – people direct children’s attention to gender-appropriate objects
– little boys are given war toys, cars and machines while little girls are given
dolls, tea sets and toy houses.
c. Verbal appellation – telling children what they are and what is expected of
them – brave boys don’t cry and pretty girls don’t hit their playmates.
d. Activity exposure – children are familiarized with gender appropriate tasks –
girls are expected and encouraged to help their mothers with housework and
the care of younger siblings, while their brothers are encouraged to play or
work outside the home.
The assignment of particular roles to men and women is further
reinforced by the following socio-cultural institutions:
a. In schools through textbooks and visual aids portraying gender
role stereotypes; and gender tracking of subjects and courses;
b. Media by constantly showing images of women as housewives,
martyrs or victims and villainess; while men are shown as
professionals, courageous, determined and violent;
c. Religion through its dogma, religious taboos, teachings of holy
men
d. Language: while Filipino has no gendered pronouns or terms for
many positions, there are many idiomatic expressions or phrases
that are derogatory to women such as walang bayag (no balls)
referring to a weak or timid person, or pataasan ng ihi (seeing who
can piss higher)
 Marginalization [Economic]
The process which forces women out into the
periphery of economic and social life, on the
periphery of decision-making process as well as
diminishing the value of the activities in which they
engage and through which they contribute to the
national development process. The women’s economic
concerns and rights are not given their due
importance or recognition. These are manifested in
the following:
 Women are not recognized for their valuable work;
 Women have less access to and control over
resources and benefits;
 Women receive unequal pay for work of equal
value;
 Last to be hired, first to be fired
Subordination [Political]
One sex is inferior to the other; gender subordination
is the institutionalized domination by men of women
in the political and social sphere as shown in the
following:
- Position: very few women are in politics and holding
top position

- Status: women are considered the weaker sex

- Decision-Making: women are not included in

planning and decision making processes

-Process of socialization: girls learn about the roles

society has in store for them as daughters, sisters,
wives and mothers
-Men are considered strong, leaders, owners, they
dominate and always first
 Multiple-Burden
Women are involved in the three
spheres of work such in their homes
doing reproductive roles, in their
workplaces doing productive roles
and in the community doing
community management and political
roles
- Parenting
- Housework
- Community work
- Work in the public
sphere/informal sector
Gender Stereotyping
The process of attributing a set of characteristics,
roles and traits, favorable or unfavorable based on
sex to all members of a social group. These are
fixed, unquestionable beliefs or images we carry in
the back of our minds about men and women which
are transmitted from generation to generation
through the following:
- child rearing
- Religion
- Occupations
- Education
- Language
- Behavior
- Government programs
- Media
- Popular culture
Violence Against Women
These are acts of instilling fear and inflicting
pain with the aim to injure, or abuse a person
usually women. The verbal, psychological and
physical forms of violence are:
- Jokes
- Wolf-whistles
- Peeking
- “chancing”or making sexual passes
- Sexual harassment
- Domestic violence
- Rape
- Prostitution
- Commodification – the act of treating women
as a commodity or object and not as a
person
• Making and/or carrying out threats
to do something to hurt her
• threatening to leave her, to commit
suicide, to report her to welfare
• making her drop charges
• making her do illegal things
• preventing her from getting or
keeping a job
• making her ask for money
• giving her an allowance
• taking her money
• not letting her know about or
have access to family income
• treating her like a servant
• making all the big decisions
• acting like the “master of the castle
• “being the one to define men's and
women's roles
• making her feel guilty about the children
• using the children to relay messages
• using visitation to harass her
• threatening to take the children away`
• Making her afraid by using looks,
actions, gestures
• smashing things, destroying her
properly
• abusing pets, displaying weapons
• putting her down
• making her feel bad about
herself
• calling her names
• making her think she's crazy
• playing mind games
• humiliating her
• making her feel guilty
• controlling what she does,
who she sees and talks to,
what she reads, where she
goes
• limiting her outside
• making light of the abuse and not taking involvement
her concerns about it seriously • using jealousy to justify
• saying the abuse didn’t happen actions
• shifting responsibility for abusive
behavior
• saying she caused it
 Effects on Personhood
- Lack of self-esteem
- No control over one’s body
"VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN" refers to
any act or a series of acts committed by any person against a woman
who is his wife, former wife, or against a woman with whom the
person has or had a sexual or dating relationship, or with whom he
has a common child, or against her child whether legitimate or
illegitimate, within or without the family abode, which result in or is
likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or
economic abuse including threats of such acts, battery, assault,
coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. It includes,
but is not limited to, the following acts:

A. "PHYSICAL VIOLENCE" refers to acts that include bodily or

physical harm;
B. "SEXUAL VIOLENCE" refers to an act which is sexual in nature,
committed against a woman or her child. It includes, but is not
limited to:
a) rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, treating a woman or her
child as a sex object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks,
physically attacking the sexual parts of the victim's body, forcing her/him to
watch obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing the woman or her
child to do indecent acts and/or make films thereof, forcing the wife and
mistress/lover to live in the conjugal home or sleep together in the same room
with the abuser;

b) acts causing or attempting to cause the victim to engage in any sexual activity
by force, threat of force, physical or other harm or threat of physical or other
harm or coercion;

c) Prostituting the woman or child.

C. "PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE"
refers to acts or omissions causing or likely to cause
mental or emotional suffering of the victim such as but not
limited to intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to
property, public ridicule or humiliation, repeated verbal
abuse and mental infidelity. It includes causing or allowing
the victim to witness the physical, sexual or psychological
abuse of a member of the family to which the victim
belongs, or to witness pornography in any form or to
witness abusive injury to pets or to unlawful or unwanted
deprivation of the right to custody and/or visitation of
common children.
D. "ECONOMIC ABUSE" refers to acts that make or attempt to make
a woman financially dependent which includes, but is not limited to
the following:

1. withdrawal of financial support or preventing the victim from engaging in any

legitimate profession, occupation, business or activity, except in cases wherein
the other spouse/partner objects on valid, serious and moral grounds as
defined in Article 73 of the Family Code;

2. deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right to the

use and enjoyment of the conjugal, community or property owned in common;

3. destroying household property;

4. controlling the victims' own money or properties or solely controlling the

conjugal money or properties.
Pagod na
pagod na Hangang kelan
pagod na ko titiisin ang Babae ako,
ako… ganitong wala akong
pananakit? kwentang tao…
What is Magna Carta of Women
(Republic Act No. 9710)?

The Magna Carta of Women is comprehensive

women’s human rights law that seeks to
eliminate discrimination against women by
recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and
promoting the rights of Filipino women,
especially those in marginalized sector.
The MCW establishes the Philippine
government’s pledge of commitment to
the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women’s (CEDAW)
Committee in its 36th Session in 2006 and to the
UN Human Rights Council on its first Universal
Periodic Review in 2009.
It is the local translation of the provisions of
the CEDAW, particularly in defining gender
discrimination, state obligations, substantive
equality, and temporary special measures. It also
recognizes human rights guaranteed by the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
What is discrimination against women?

Any gender-based distinction, exclusion, or

restriction which has the effect or purpose of
impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment,
or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital
status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of
human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political,
economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field;
Any act or omission, including by law, policy,
administrative measure, or practice, that
directly or indirectly excludes or restricts women in
the recognition and promotion of their rights and
their access to and enjoyment of opportunities,
benefits, or privileges;
A measure or practice of general application that
fails to provide for mechanisms to offset or
address sex or gender-based disadvantages or
limitations of women, as a result of which
women are denied or restricted in the recognition
and protection of their rights and in their access to
and enjoyment of opportunities, benefits, or
privileges;
• or women, more than men are shown to have
suffered the greater adverse effects of those
measures or practices; and

• discrimination compounded by or intersecting

with other grounds, status, or condition, such
as ethnicity, age, poverty, or religion.
What are the rights of women guaranteed
under the Magna Carta of Women?
All rights in the Philippine Constitution and those rights
recognized under international instruments duly signed and
ratified by the Philippines, in consonance with Philippine laws
shall be rights of women under the Magna Carta of Women.

These rights shall be enjoyed without discrimination since

the law prohibits discrimination against women, whether done
by public and private entities or individuals.
The Magna Carta of Women also spells out every
woman's right to:

✓ Protection from all forms of violence, including those

committed by the State. This includes the incremental increase in
the recruitment and training of women in government services
that cater to women victims of gender-related offenses. It also
ensures mandatory training on human rights and gender sensitivity to
all government personnel involved in the protection and defense
of women against gender-based violence, and mandates local
government units to establish a Violence Against Women Desk
in every barangay to address violence against women cases;
✓Protection and security in times of disaster, calamities and
other crisis situations, especially in all phases of relief,
recovery, rehabilitation and construction efforts, including
protection from sexual exploitation and other sexual and
gender-based violence.

✓Participation and representation, including undertaking

temporary special measures and affirmative actions to
accelerate and ensure women's equitable participation and
representation in the third level civil service, development
councils and planning bodies, as well as political parties and
international bodies, including the private sector.
✓ Equal treatment before the law, including the State's review
and when necessary amendment or repeal of existing laws
that are discriminatory to women;

✓ Equal access and elimination of discrimination against

women in education, scholarships and training. This includes
revising educational materials and curricula to remove
gender stereotypes and images, and outlawing the
expulsion, non-readmission, prohibiting enrollment and other
related discrimination against women students and faculty
due to pregnancy outside of marriage;
✓Equal participation in sports. This includes measures to
ensure that gender-based discrimination in competitive and
non-competitive sports is removed so that women and girls
can benefit from sports development;

✓ Non-discriminatory and non-derogatory portrayal of women

in media and film to raise the consciousness of the general
public in recognizing the dignity of women and the role and
contribution of women in family, community, and the society
through the strategic use of mass media;
✓Non-discrimination in employment in the field of military,
police and other similar services. This includes according the
same promotional privileges and opportunities as their men
counterpart, including pay increases, additional benefits, and
awards, based on competency and quality of performance.
The dignity of women in the military, police and other similar
services shall always be respected, they shall be accorded
with the same capacity as men to act in and enter into
contracts, including marriage, as well as be entitled to leave
benefits for women such as maternity leave, as provided for
in existing laws;
✓ Comprehensive health services and health information
and education covering all stages of a woman's life cycle,
and which addresses the major causes of women's mortality
and morbidity, including access to among others, maternal
care, responsible, ethical, legal, safe and effective methods
of family planning, and encouraging healthy lifestyle
activities to prevent diseases;
✓ Leave benefits of two (2) months with full pay based on
gross monthly compensation, for women employees who
undergo surgery caused by gynecological disorders, provided that
they have rendered continuous aggregate employment service of at
least six (6) months for the last twelve (12) months;

✓ Equal rights in all matters relating to marriage and family

relations. The State shall ensure the same rights of women and men
to: enter into and leave marriages, freely choose a spouse, decide on
the number and spacing of their children, enjoy personal
rights including the choice of a profession, own, acquire, and
administer their property, and acquire, change, or retain their
nationality. It also states that the betrothal and marriage of a child
shall have no legal effect.
✓ The Magna Carta of Women also guarantees the civil, political and
economic rights of women in the marginalized sectors, particularly
their right to:
• Food security and resources for food production, including equal rights in the titling of the land and issuance
of stewardship contracts and patents;
• Localized, accessible, secure and affordable housing;
• Employment, livelihood, credit, capital and technology;
• Skills training, scholarships, especially in research and development aimed towards women friendly farm
technology;
• Representation and participation in policy-making or decision-making bodies in the regional, national, and
international levels;
• Access to information regarding policies on women, including programs, projects and funding outlays that
affect them;
• Social protection;
• Recognition and preservation of cultural identity and integrity provided that these cultural systems and
practices are not discriminatory to women;
• Inclusion in discussions on peace and development;
• Services and interventions for women in especially difficult circumstances or WEDC;
• Protection of girl-children against all forms of discrimination in education, health and nutrition, and skills
development; and
• Protection of women senior citizens.
The Magna Carta of Women defines the marginalized sectors
as those who belong to the basic, disadvantaged, or
vulnerable groups who are mostly living in poverty and have
little or no access to land and other resources, basic social
and economic services such as health care, education, water
and sanitation, employment and livelihood opportunities,
housing security, physical infrastructure and the justice
system.
These include, but are not limited to women in the following
sectors or groups: Small farmers and rural workers, Fisherfolk,
Urban poor, Workers in the formal economy, Workers in the
informal economy, Migrant workers, Indigenous Peoples, Moro,
Children, Senior citizens, Persons with disabilities, and Solo
parents.
Who will be responsible for implementing the
Magna Carta of Women?

The State, the private sector, society in

general, and all individuals shall contribute to the
recognition, respect and promotion of the rights of
women defined and guaranteed in the Magna
Carta of Women.
The Philippine Government shall be the primary
duty-bearer in implementing the said law.
This means that all government offices, including
local government units and government-
owned and controlled corporations shall be
responsible to implement the provisions of
Magna Carta of Women that falls within their
mandate, particularly those that guarantee rights
of women that require specific action from the
State.
As the primary duty-bearer, the Government is
tasked to:
✓ refrain from discriminating against women and
violating their rights;
✓ protect women against discrimination and from
violation of their rights by private
corporations, entities, and individuals;
✓ promote and fulfill the rights of women in all
spheres, including their rights to substantive
equality and non-discrimination.
Under this law, the National Commission on the
Role of Filipino Women which will be renamed as
the Philippine Commission on Women
(PCW) shall be the overall monitoring and
oversight body to ensure the implementation of
the law.
 As an agency under the Office of the President of
the Philippines, it will be the primary policy-
making and coordinating body for women and
gender equality concerns and shall lead in
ensuring that government agencies are
capacitated on the effective implementation of the
Magna Carta of Women.
Consistent with its mandate, the Commission on
Human Rights shall act as the Gender and
Development Ombud to ensure the promotion
and protection of women's human rights.

The Commission on Audit shall conduct an annual

audit on the government offices' use of their gender
and development budgets for the purpose of
determining its judicious use and the efficiency, and
effectiveness of interventions in addressing
gender issues.
Local government units are also encouraged to
develop and pass a gender and development
code to address the issues and concerns of
women in their respective localities based on
consultation with their women constituents.
Salient features of the law include:

✓ Increasing the number of women in third level

positions in government to achieve a fifty-fifty
(50-50) gender balance within the next five
years while the composition of women in all
levels of development planning and program
implementation will be at least 40 percent;
✓ Leave benefits of two (2) months with full pay
based on gross monthly compensation for
women employees who undergo surgery
caused by gynecological disorders, provided
that they have rendered continuous aggregate
employment service of at least six (6) months
for the last twelve (12) months;
✓ Non-discrimination in employment in the field of
military, police and other similar services that
include according the same promotional
privileges and opportunities as their men
counterpart, including pay increases, additional
benefits, and awards, based on competency
and quality of performance.
✓ Provision for equal access and elimination of
discrimination in education, scholarships, and
training. Thus, “expulsion, non-readmission,
prohibiting enrollment, and other related
discrimination of women students and faculty
due to pregnancy out of marriage shall be
outlawed..
✓ Non-discriminatory and non-derogatory
portrayal of women in media and film to raise
the consciousness of the general public in
recognizing the dignity of women and the role
and contribution of women in family, community,
and the society through the strategic use of
mass media;
✓ Equal status given to men and women on the
titling of the land and issuance of stewardship
contracts and patents.
• Establishes the responsibility of the government
to take actions in order to end discrimination
against women.

• It provides that the Philippines government must

“ensure the substantive equality of men and
women” and mandates the State to take steps
to review, amend or repeal existing laws that
are discriminatory towards women.
The Government, in its entirety, shall fulfill these
duties through the

✓ development and implementation of laws,

policies,
✓ regulatory instruments,
✓ administrative guidelines, and other
appropriate measures.
It shall also establish mechanisms to promote
the coherent and integrated implementation of
the MCW and other related laws and policies to
effectively stop discrimination against Filipino
women.
The MCW mandates all government offices, including
government-owned and controlled corporations and local
government units to
✓ adopt gender mainstreaming as a strategy for
implementing the law and attaining its objectives.
✓ It also mandates

a) planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation for

gender and development,

b) the creation and/or strengthening of gender and

development focal points, and

c) the generation and maintenance of gender statistics and

sex-disaggregated databases to aid in planning,
programming and policy formulation
 I Got Flowers Today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6gbQFt_f-E
I got flowers today. It wasn't my birthday or any other special day. We had our first
argument last night. He said a lot of cruel things that really hurt me. I know he was
sorry and didn't mean the things he said. Because I got flowers today.
I got flowers today. It wasn't our anniversary or any other special day. Last night, he
threw me into a wall and started to choke me. It seemed like a nightmare. I couldn't
believe it was real. I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over. I know he must
be sorry Because he sent me flowers today.
I got flowers today. It wasn't Mother's Day or any other special day. Last night, he
beat me up again. And it was much worse than all other times. If I leave him, what
will I do? How will I take care of my kids? What about money? I' m afraid of him and
scared to leave. But I know he must be sorry Because he sent me flowers today.
I got flowers today. Today was a very special day. It was the day of my funeral. Last
night he finally killed me. He beat me to death.
If only I had gathered enough courage and strength to leave him, I would not have
gotten flowers today.
VISION OF A GENDER FAIR SOCIETY
Manifestation of Gender Bias Principles for a Gender-fair Society
MARGINALIZATION Equal pay for equal work
Economic independence
Economic opportunities
SUBORDINATION Quality participation in decision-making
Recognition of capabilities
MULTIPLE BURDEN Shared parenting
Shared housework
GENDER STEREOTYPING Liberation from stereotyped images
Non-sexist child rearing
Non-sexist language
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Freedom from violence
Freedom from harassment
PERSONAL Personhood development – self esteem
Control over one’s body
 For Every Woman
Nancy Smith
For every woman who is tired
of acting weak
when she knows she is strong,
There is a man who is tired
of appearing strong
when he feels vulnerable.
For every woman who is tired
of acting dumb,
There is a man
who is burdened
with the constant
expectation of “knowing
everything”
 For every woman who is
tired of being called an
“emotional female”,
There is a man who is
denied the right to weep
and be gentle.

For every woman who feels

“tied down” by her children,
There is a man who is
denied the full pleasure
of shared parenthood.
 For every woman who is denied
meaningful employment and equal pay,
There is a man who must bear
full responsibility
for another
human being.
 For every woman
who was not taught
the intricacies of
the automobile,

There is a man
who was not taught
the satisfaction of
cooking.
For every woman who take
a step toward her own
liberation

There is a man who finds

that the way to freedom has
been made a little easier.
REFLECTION

1. What are the factors that aggravate gender inequality?

2. How can the dimensions of gender bias be overcome?

3. How can you be more gender sensitive?

4. How can gender sensitivity contribute to development?

5. How do development issues affect men and women and the ways
these issues may affect them differently?