Unit 2 -- National Safety and Security

Topic 4 : Gender and Development

Thecsrjournal

Gender Sensitivity Training

The Gender Sensitivity Training is an initial effort to show how gender shapes the
roles of women and men in society, including their role in development, and how it affects
relations between them. It is given to those who have very little gender awareness or none at
all. For people in government to appreciate GAD and eventually become its advocate, they first
have to heighten their awareness of gender concerns and be willing to respond to gender issues.
http://jagna.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Gender-Sensitivity-Training-2nd-Batch.pdf

Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on

their gender. It arises from differences in socially constructed gender roles. Gender systems are
often dichotomous and hierarchical, gender binary systems may reflect the inequalities that
manifest in numerous dimensions of daily life. Discrimination based on gender is a common
civil rights violation that takes many forms including sexual harassment, pregnancy –
discrimination, unequal pay for women who do the same jobs as men and discrimination in
employment and education. To overcome gender in equality we need to have gender sensitive
society. .freepik.com

What is Gender Sensitivity?

Gender awareness is more analytical and critical since it clarifies issues about gender
disparities and gender issues. It pertains to one’s effort to show how gender shapes the role of
women and men in society including their role in development and how it affects relations
between them. Our education system needs to be gender sensitive and gender friendly. One of
the best possible strategies to minimize gender discrimination in society is to promote gender
awareness at all levels of society.

Gender Issues In Homes

We can promote gender awareness in parents by

▪ School-parent partnership needs to be strengthened to identify gender issues in homes
▪ Promoting girl education in rural areas
▪ NGOs awareness training and counseling

Parents should be advised to treat both their sons and daughters as equals. Instead of
telling their daughters to behave properly, mothers should teach their sons to respect all women
as equal. It is important that children should grow up seeing women in their homes being
respected by the men in the family. All household females should stop telling the young girls
of their families that they need to learn how to cook, serve the husband and in-laws, and always

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adjust. And whatever else says to make a growing girl feel like she has less access to choice of
freedom than her male counterpart.

Gender Sensitivity in Schools

Schools can play an important role in inculcating gender sensitivity in etiquettes and
manners of students. It is necessary to create a gender responsive school in which the academic,
social and physical environment and its surrounding community take into account the specific
needs of girls and boys. A detailed action plan with a definite road map is required in the school
curriculum to achieve gender equality.
https://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2018/06/importance-of-nurturing-gender-sensitivity-through-education/

Magna Carta of Women (R.A. 9710)

The various existing laws and policies to empower and protect women, and ensure equal
rights and opportunities for men and women, have been strengthened further with the enactment
of Republic Act No. 9710, otherwise known as The Magna Carta of Women.

The Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2396 and House Bill No. 4273, was
finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on May 19, 2009 and May 20,
2009, respectively. It was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on August 14,
2009.

Salient provisions

Women’s rights are human rights - “All rights in the Constitution and those rights
recognized under international instruments duly signed and ratified by the Philippines, in
consonance with Philippine law, shall be rights of women under this Act to be enjoyed without
discrimination.” (Section 8)

Equal employment opportunities

“Within the next (5) years, there shall be an incremental increase in the recruitment and
training of women in the police force, forensics and medico-legal, legal services, and social
work services availed of by women who are victims of gender-related offenses until fifty
percent (50%) of the personnel thereof shall be women.” (Section 9A)

- “Within the next five (5) years, the number of women in third (3rd) level positions in
government shall be incrementally increased to achieve a fifty-fifty (50-50) gender balance.”
(Section 10A)

“All local government units shall establish a Violence Against Women’s Desk in every
barangay to ensure that violence against women cases are fully addressed in a gender-responsive
manner.” (Section 9C)

Women in the military

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“The State shall pursue appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination of women in

the military, police, and other similar services, including revising or abolishing practices that
restrict women from availing of both combat and noncombat training that are open to men, or
from taking on functions other than administrative tasks, such as engaging in combat, security-
related, or field operations. Women in the military shall be accorded the same promotional
privileges and opportunities as men, including pay increases, additional remunerations, and
benefits and awards based on their competency and quality of performance…

Further, women in the military, police and other similar services shall be entitled to
leave benefits such as maternity leave, as provided for by existing laws.” (Section 15) Special
leave privileges - “A woman employee having rendered continuous aggregate employment
service of at least six (6) months for the last twelve (12) months shall be entitled to a special
leave benefit of two (2) months with full pay based on her gross monthly compensation
following surgery caused by gynecological disorders.” (Section 18) Gender and development
(GAD) budget - “The cost of implementing GAD programs shall be the agency’s or the local
government unit’s GAD budget which shall be at least five percent (5%) of the agency’s or the
local government unit’s total budget appropriations.” (Section 36A)

Other laws protecting women and children

• Women in Development and Nation Building Act (R.A. 7192)

• Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act
(R.A. 7610)
• Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (R.A. 7877)
• Anti-Rape Law of 1997 (R.A. 8353)
• Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998 (R.A. 8505)
• Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (R.A. 9208)
• Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 (R.A. 9262)

http://www.csc.gov.ph/2014-02-21-08-16-56/2014-02-21-08-19-19/magna-carta-of-women-r-a-
9710.html#:~:text=Magna%20Carta%20of%20Women%20(R.A.,The%20Magna%20Carta%20of%20Women.

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VAWC (Violence Against Women and Children)

Republic Act No. 9262

Republic Act No. 9262 is known as The

Anti-Violence against Women and their Children
Act of 2004. Recognizing "the need to protect the
family and its members particularly women and
children from violence and threats to their personal
safety and security", RA 9262 was signed by former
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 2,
2004.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odUhZLqceYU

Under the RA 9262, VAW 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."

Furthermore, RA 9262 gives women and their children the right to file a protection
order. A protection order is "an order issued for the purpose of preventing further acts of
violence against a woman or her child and granting other necessary relief." The protection order
"safeguards the victim from further harm, minimizing any disruption in the victim's daily life
and facilitating the opportunity and ability of the victim to independently regain control over
her life." The types of protection orders that may be issued are: the barangay protection order
(BPO), the temporary protection order (TPO), and the permanent protection order (PPO).

For BPOs, the order is usually issued by the Punong Barangay or Barangay
Kagawad. Barangay officials are expected to "respond immediately to a call for help or request
for assistance or protection of the victim." Likewise, they are expected to "arrest the suspected
perpetrator without a warrant when any of the acts of violence is occurring, or when he/she has
personal knowledge that any act of abuse has just been committed, and there is imminent danger
to the life or limb of the victim." Any barangay official or law enforcer who fails to report the
incident shall be liable for a fine not exceeding P10,000 and/or whenever applicable, criminal,
civil, or administrative liability.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violence_against_women_in_the_Philippines#:~:text=Under%20the%20RA%209262%2C%20
VAW,legitimate%20or%20illegitimate%2C%20within%20or