Professional Documents
Culture Documents
INTRODUCTION
The gender situation in the Philippines is characterized by sharp
contradictions. It graphically showcases samples of womens advancement in politics,
academic and professional excellence, and even legislation. But this is contrasted by
images of prostituted women, battered wives, economically disadvantaged women
and exploited migrant workers
HISTORY
According to Peter Stearns, women in pre-agricultural societies held equal
positions with men; it was only after the adoption of agriculture and sedentary
cultures that men began to institutionalize the concept that women were inferior to
men. Definitive examples of sexism in the ancient world included written laws
preventing women from participating in the political process; for example, Roman
women could not vote or hold political office.
In the Philippines, long history of colonialism has embedded a patriarchal
culture among Filipinos. The conception of women as full-time homemakers, as
subordinated to men, violence against them is private, as reserve labor force, and as
sexual objects is now being eroded by modern women asserting themselves in many
aspects of life. But on the other hand, some are either marginalized, discriminated, or
even exploited by the harsh realities of global economy and consumerism. 1
GENDER ISSUE
The Philippines, where women and men enjoy the same access to education,
remains in the top 10 countries with the least gender gap, according to the 2011 Global
Gender Gap rankings by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum.
From ninth place last year, the Philippines ranks eighth among 135 countries this
year, with a score of 0.768.
The Philippines performed favorably in the four categories that determine gender
gap. These are (1) educational attainment, (2) health and survival, (3) economic
participation and opportunity, and (4) political empowerment.
A world where women make up less than 20 percent of the global decisionmakers is a world that is missing a huge opportunity for growth and ignoring an
untapped reservoir of potential, Klaus Schwab, WEF founder and chair, said in a
statement. 2
But no country has closed the gap between men and women when it comes to
health and survival, educational attainment, economic participation and opportunity and
political empowerment.
GENDER SENSITIVITY
Gender sensitivity has been defined as the ability to recognize issues and
problems in the way societies look at gender. Gender sensitivity supports gender
equality. According to Republic Act No. 9710 (An Act Providing for the Magna Carta of
Women), Gender Equality refers to the principle asserting the equality of men and
women and their right to enjoy equal conditions realizing their full human potentials to
contribute to and benefit from the results of development, and with the State
recognizing that all human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. 3
the role of women in nation-building and shall ensure the fundamental equality before
the law of women and men." Additionally, the Article XIII-Labor: Section 14 provided
that "The state shall protect working women by providing safe and healthful working
conditions taking into account their maternal functions, and such facilities and
opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them to realize their full
potential in the service of the nation". 4
WITHIN OURSELVES
The ability to perceive existing gender differences, issues and inequalities and to
incorporate these into strategies and actions (Intra Health International, Better
Practices in Gender Sensitivity), comes in Gender sensitivity. Gender sensitivity, as a
strategy for fighting off gender discrimination has been developed as a way to reduce
barriers to personal and economic development created by sexism. 5
This brings us to two interrelated ideas found at the heart of the concept of
gender sensitivity: rights and respect. When we uphold gender sensitivity we
recognize the rights of every individual, by virtue of being human, regardless of sex or
gender, to have the same level of opportunities, access, and protection from
discrimination and harm as everyone else. We also respect the personhood of each one
as well as ones individuality, including ones sex, gender comportment or sexual
preference.
Footnotes:
1. An Overview of the Gender situation in the Philippines Carlos Antonio Q. Anonuevo FriedrichEbert-Stiftung
2. http://globalnation.inquirer.net/16879/philippines-ranks-8th-among-135-on-world-genderequality/#ixzz3Kt62qSQt
3. Wikipedia