PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

GENDER-RESPONSIVE RURAL WOMEN DEVELOPMENT PLAN (GRRWDP)

Forwarding a Gender Responsive Governance Proposal for 2011-20161

ural women are responsible for more than half of the world food production; in the
Philippines, rural women spend 11 to 16 hours a day in productive and reproductive
worki.e. acquiring farming/fishing capital (usually through credit), carrying out planting
activities, pre- and post-harvest fishing activities, marketing the primary harvest and
backyard produce/livestock, and providing for their
household's daily survival needs. Domestic work is no easy
task considering activities like preparing farm tools/fish gears
and food for farm/fish workers, fetching water, gardening,
Gender Responsive Governance:
foraging, wood gathering, raising poultry and livestock, and
as defined by the Rural Women
other livelihood activities. The situation is more difficult for
women during times of economic, food and climate crises, i.e.
CEDAW is the key instrument that
rural womens experiences range from earning P50/day to
would address rural womens needs
none at all, from accessing multiple microcredit loans just to
and concerns, especially in making
cope with daily needs (at the risk of severe indebtedness),
duty bearers accountable to rural
womens
rights.
In
PKKK
from taking odd jobs within the community to seeking work in
consultations, rural women put
urban centers (at the risk of being trafficked and exploited),
premium
on
governments
from spending eleven hours to sixteen hours a day in food
accountability
to
CEDAW
through
provisioning and augmenting family income, among other
gender responsive governance,
situations.
The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Article 14) affirms
the rural womens role of ensuring the "economic survival of
their families". But for a large number of women farmers,
fishers, rural informal workers, and indigenous women, whose
work are often unpaid and undervalued, such roles prove to be
a burden considering the stagnation of development and
unequal distribution of resources that remain widespread in
rural areas today.
In response, the Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa
Kanayunan (PKKK) forwards its vision of development and
concrete proposals for gender-responsive governance,
which would basically address the wide-ranging needs and
concerns of the rural women.
Rural Women Agenda and the GRRWDP: Rural

Womens Voice2

which the rural women defined as

follows:
Batas o polisiyang tumutugon
sa karapatang pantao at karapatan
ng kababaihan;
Polisiya at implementasyon
ng polisiya na nagreresulta sa
programang may patas na trato sa
lalaki at babae;

Proseso ng pamamahala na
kumikilala sa boses at partisipasyon
ng kababaihan, at pagiging bahagi
ng local special bodies;
Nagdudulot ng pagbabago sa
kalagayan
ng
diskriminasyon,
nagpapalakas sa kakayanan at
nagsasakapangyarihan
(empowerment) ng kababaihan

The Rural Women Agenda voices out the transformative

goals that rural women want to see and feel from
Development a Vision of society that enjoys food selfsufficiency, sustainable development through sustainable
agriculture and fishing, safe environment, democratic control and stewardship over land and
water resources, and most of all, equality and non-discrimination.
1

This proposed Framework Plan consolidates the experiences of the Pambansang Koalisyon ng
Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK), especially with its implementation of advocacy-campaigns on CEDAW
Sectoral and Local Application and Gender-Responsive Governance.
2
The Rural Women Agenda also represents a process of continual validation of the rural womens realities
through coalition building and womens organizing among PKKKs 220 member organizations in 42
provincial coalitions.

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

The Rural Women Agenda covers the following:

(1) Fulfillment of RuralWomens Property Rights in Agrarian Reform;
(2) Fulfillment of Rural Womens Property Rights in Ancestral Domains;
(3) Fulfillment of Rural Womens Property Rights to Coastal Resources;
(4) Access to Basic Services and Social Protection, Safe and Adequate Food and Potable
Water, and Rights to Fair Wages and Just Conditions of Work;
(5) Access to Sustainable and Women-Friendly Agriculture and Fishery Support Services;
(6) Representation and Participation in the Implementation of Gender and Development
(GAD) Programs and Local Sectoral Representation (LSR);
(7) Fulfillment of Reproductive Rights and Protection from all forms of Violence and
other oppressive gender relations;
(8) Fulfillment of Rural Womens Peace Agenda, especially in Mindanao; and
(9) Fulfillment of Right to Safe Environment and Protection from impact of Climate
Change.
It is along this agenda that the following Gender Responsive Rural Women Development
Plan (GRRWDP) is outlined and presented with gender equality indicators, statement of
concerns, proposed temporary special measures (TSMs), and corresponding menu of
activities.
TSMs are defined by the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) as a variety of legislative, executive,
administrative, and regulatory instruments, policies, and practices aimed at accelerating this de facto equality
of women in specific areas. These measures shall not be considered discriminatory but shall in no way entail as
a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards. They shall be discontinued when their
objectives have been achieved. Within the gender-responsive governance frame, the idea of
Temporary Special Measures is used to identify feasible actions to progressively realize
gender equality both in rural areas and in national development. In the midst of economic
climate and food crises, these TSMs can serve as social protection mechanisms for
the rural women.
It must be noted that the processes of identifying these indicators, concerns, proposed
TSMs, and corresponding activities were broadly participatory and consultative. The
selection of these indicators was guided by the experience of women (how they understood
their rights and how they would want to claim these rights), along with available qualitative
and quantitative information. At the onset, key indicators to measure equality were evident,
i.e. participation and representation in decision-making structures, access to services, GAD
budget performance, policies (eg. Magna Carta of Women), and development indices.
Note: In pushing for a comprehensive Rural Women and Food Self-sufficiency Program

The government is accountable to the implementation of the Magna Carta of Women (MCW,
RA 9710), being the enabling law of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
Chapter V of MCW covers the Rights and Empowerment of Marginalized Sectors; the
marginalized women include women small farmers, farm workers, fishers, indigenous women
and workers employed in informal employment
Section 20. Food Security and Productive Resources of RA 9710 provides that the State
recognizes the contribution of women to food production and shall ensure its sustainability
and sufficiency, including in the context of climate change, with the active participation of
women; thereby listing the requirements and responsibilities of government in support of
womens food self-sufficiency roles (See attachment on Rule V, Sec 23 of the IRR)

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

GRRWDP: A proposal for Development 2011-2016

1.

Recognition of Women as Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries

Gender Equality Indicators

a.

Increased number of
women agrarian reform
beneficiaries (ARBs);
Womens name is
indicated as either
owner or co-owner in
the CLOA

Concerns

Strategies and TSMs

Womens exclusion in the

process of identifying
agrarian reform beneficiaries
(ARBs)

Organize and capacitate

women ARBs concerning
the new law (RA9700)
especially in the first two
years of its implementation

Provincial and municipal

rural women consultations
and policy dialogues in the
first half of 2011

Issuance of the
Administrative Order on
Gender Equality and
CARPER

Define a Comprehensive
Rural Womens Program at
the provincial level, apart
from the installation of the
so-called Womens Desks

Ensure womens
representation in policy
dialogues

Monitor/ document
womens status in these
issues, especially cases of
women ARBs who have
reverted back to farm
worker status in plantations

LTI issues: Non-installation of

CLOA holders, Non-issuance
and cancellation of CLOAs,
Unjust leaseback agreements

Ensure womens access to

legal documents

Activities

Tackle/Provide venues for

LTI concerns in the
provincial rural women
consultations
b.

Representation of
women and women
farmers interests in
Agrarian Reform
Councils

Womens subordination in
entitlements to the land,
support services (credit and
training), and decisionmaking

Issuance of the
Administrative Order on
Gender Equality and
CARPER (includes provision
pertaining to womens
representation in
PARC/PARCOM/BARC
should not be less 20%)
Guidelines for considering
womens representation to
PARC/PARCOM/BARC
should be on the basis of
the strength of the
organization (membership
and spread) and not on
endorsements by LGUs and
MAROs.

2.

Capacity building for rural

women organizations,
especially among women
ARBs and leaders
Installation of womens
desks at the community
level

Recognition of Women Fishers

Gender Equality Indicators

a.

Issue guidelines for

PARCOM reorganization

Increase in the
registration of women
fishers

Concerns

Strategies and TSMs

Activities

Gender biases, economic

barriers, and information
asymmetry deter women
from registering as fisherfolk

Strict implementation of
Fish code at the local level,
with emphasis on nondiscriminatory practices;

IEC on municipal
registration and how to
make MFO gender
responsive (LGUs)

Issue separate
Administrative guidelines
on Women Fishers
Registration, providing
women-friendly
mechanisms for
implementation:

Nationwide campaign for

women fishers registration;
conduct of on-site
registration processes
Monitoring/ documentation
on impact of fisherfolk

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

b.

Participation and
representation of
women and women
fishers interests in
FARMCs

FARMCs in some areas are

not even convened
Womens interests are
hardly represented in
MFARMCs, IFARMCs,
NFARMC; womens
representation is mostly felt
at the barangay/BFARMC
level

waiving of registration
fees for women whose
husbands are already
registered as fishers
LGU-subsidized
registration fees
gender sensitive
registration forms
Issue guidelines on the
composition of the FARMCs,
indicating womens
representation should
comprise 30-40% of the
membership

Conduct policy dialogues

with women fishers group
and women members of
the FARMCs

LGUs should incorporate

WMAs in comprehensive
programs on coastal
resource management and
even in community-based
ecotourism programs

Indigenous Women and Peace

Gender Equality Indicators

a.

Conduct policy review vis-vis compliance to the

Magna Carta of Women

Capacity building for

women fishers
organizations and women
members of mixed fishers
organizations
LGUs should recognize,
support, and promote
women managed areas
(WMAs) in the coastal
zones

3.

registration for women

fishers (gathering positive
experiences that would
convince other women on
the benefits of being
recognized and registered)

Increased participation
of indigenous women in
processes concerning
peace and development

Concerns
Severe conditions of
malnutrition, maternal and
infant mortality, illiteracy,
and food insecurity, deter
women from engaging
political and democratic
processes (like organizing
women and participation in
peace talks)

Strategies and TSMs

Activities

Support indigenous women

as community-based health
workers; support
promotion of indigenous
health practices

Partnership with indigenous

womens groups in
facilitating health and
literacy programs in tribal
groups

Provide culturally-sensitive
health programs within farflung indigenous
communities

Dialogues with tribal

leaders on health
conditions and practices

Support indigenous food

production practices at the
village level

Non-recognition of
indigenous womens roles in
managing conflicts in tribal
communities, especially in
dealing with VAWC-related
cases

Recognize and support

women tribal leaders who
facilitate conflict resolution
(official personality in bgy
structure, transportation,
food allowance)
LGU-organized tribal
leaders/council should
respect the tribal processes
asserted by indigenous
womens groups in
resolving VAWC related
cases

Provide sustainable and

culturally sensitive
livelihood programs for
tribal women, eg.
community seed-banking,
nurseries, livestock
dispersal
Monitoring/documentation
of cases of conflicts,
especially VAWC-related
cases, that were
settled/mediated by
women tribal leaders (treat
this contribution as part of
maintaining peace and
security in communities)
Monitoring and
participation of IP Womens
Agenda in the National
Action Plan for Peace

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

b.

c.

Increased participation
in the mechanisms for
the right to selfdetermination, esp. in
the protection of the
ancestral domain from
all forms of destructive
activities like mining,
logging, plantations.

Displacement of women
from their livelihoods,
sources of indigenous
medicines and food, places
of worship. Indigenous
women are often left out in
CADC application processes
and in the decision-making
concerning development
projects in ancestral lands.

Consolidate indigenous
women and strengthen
capacity to organize and
engage tribal governance
processes and structures

Decreased incidence of
early arranged
marriages

Tribal practices of early

marriage prevail (as young as
9 to 11 years old).

Community-based IP
women-led research and
advocacy campaign on early
marriages.

4.

Registration and
strengthening of IP women
orgs
Target at least 3 tribal
groups for early marriage
research and advocacy in
Mindanao.

Food Self-Sufficiency through Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries

Gender Equality Indicators

a.

Capacity building of
Indigenous Women leaders
on peace, FPIC and CADT
application processes

Establish mechanism that

would respond to
indigenous womens
situation in times affected
by development projects
and other extractive
activities

Women-friendly
technologies accessed
by poor rural women

Concerns
Less than 30% of rural
women are able to access
government programs and
services;

19% access to seeds,

13% access to calamity
assistance,
18% access to training
15% access to extension
services.
9% access to
(government facilitated)
production capital.
less than 1/2 have social
security

(Women in Agriculture Study,

CSI 2008)
Rural women spend 11 to 16
hours in productive and
reproductive work
1-3 hours:
looking/foraging for food,
fuel and fetching water
6 hours: backyard
gardening, poultry,
livestock

Strategies and TSMs

Community seed banking
for women;
Capacity building programs
led by organized women
(RICs + other organizations);
involve and tap communitybased women experts
Design Implementation Plan
for Magna Carta of Women
Food Security provisions
(IRR Rule V, Sec 23), e.g.
Design and promote
commercial use of improved
post-harvest processing
facilities and equipment
among women and men,
farmer-groups, processors
and small-holder
entrepreneurs to reduce
post-harvest losses and
increase income; Design and
promote the use of womenfriendly fishing gears and
post-harvest facilities and
equipment
Democratize womens
access to the following
programs, i.e. rotate list of
beneficiaries and not
limited to the RICs:

Activities
Create and develop a pool
of rural women trainers for
sustainable agriculture and
fishing, including capacities
for post-harvest processing
Allocate GAD budget for
community seed banking
facilities/processes for
women farmers

Monitor targeted and actual

women beneficiaries

*traditionally/locally
adapted vegetable seeds
*small irrigation facilities
and rainwater harvesting
facilities
* composting facilities and
equipment for organic
fertilizer production

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

b.

Increased participation
in mechanisms related
to food security, land
use planning,
land/water use
conversions, and
agricultural/fisheries
investments.

Displacement of women
from their livelihoods and
food sources. Women are
often left out in decisionmaking processes; decisions
disregard impact of
conversion on household
health and survival.

Consolidate rural women

and strengthen capacity to
organize and engage
decision-making structures.
Observe gender-fair
representation in the
agriculture and fisheries
councils (Magna Carta of
Women state: Concerned
agencies, in cooperation with
womens organizations, shall
implement capability-building
and leadership formation
programs as well as undertake
affirmative action measures
to enable grassroots women
leaders to effectively
participate in the decision and
policy-making bodies in their
respective sectors)

Registration and
strengthening of rural
women orgs; ensure gender
balance in farmers and
fishers associations
AO guidelines on
land/water use conversion
and agricultural/fisheries
investments should include
consultation with women.

Ensure guidelines for

womens participation in
land use policies and
processes.

5.

Protection of the Environment and Womens Protection from impacts of climate change

Gender Equality Indicators

a.

Protection for rural

women in times of
disasters and climate
change

Concerns

Strategies and TSMs

Insecurity and vulnerability

of sources of livelihood
(farming and fishing) to
climate change and disasters

Mechanisms for survival

fund of women affected by
disasters, i.e. covering
economic support and
credit for livelihood (at least
10% of the Disaster and
Emergency Funds)
Promote gender sensitive
guidelines in executing
relief and rehabilitation
services

Identify and account fund

sources for rural women
survival fund in times of
disasters

Health problems due to

flooding; increased number
of rural women are afflicted
with water-borne diseases

Increased budget for health

programs for women

Women are multiple

burdened and often fall
victim to further
indebtedness (by availing
multiple credit from MFIs) as
way of coping with impact of
disasters and climate change.

Capacity building on
disaster risk management
and climate change
adaptation for rural women

Establish baseline data of

affected women; identify
preventive measures (to
serve as basis for increase
in the health budget)
Support local training on
sustainable agriculture,
organic farming, livestock
to sustain food production

Gender issues are often not

articulated in mainstream
adaptation strategies related
to sectors of agriculture,
fisheries, forestry, water and
health.

Ensure womens
representation in all
decision making bodies that
tackle climate change
adaptation

Identify and account fund

sources for rural women
survival fund in times of
disasters
Monitor local special bodies
that are mandated to
address climate change in
their respective
sectors/concerns

Special needs of women are

often not fully attended in
rehabilitation or evacuation
centers

b.

c.

Increased capacity of
women to cope and
adapt to impact of
disasters and climate
change

Participation of women
in decision-making
related to climate
change (adaptation
strategies and
financing)

Activities

Training for rural women on

disaster preparedness and
gender sensitive response
to disasters

Provide guidelines for

womens representation in

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

the Environment Codes

proposed in provinces and
municipalities (DILG)
6.

Participation in local special bodies, GAD utilization

Gender Equality Indicators

a.

Increased participation
of marginalized/poor
rural women in the
governance bodies

b.

Equitable utilization of
the GAD budget
resources

c.

Increased number of
rural women holding
elective positions

7.

Barriers to womens
participation include:
* exclusion due to political
affiliations or being
associated with the
opposition party
* non-accreditation due to
inconsistent
processes/guidelines (varying
information did not help)
* non-accreditation due to
rigid requirements (eg.
audited financial statement)
* womens groups are
encouraged by LGUs to join
government-organized
formations

Strategies and TSMs

Activities

Womens assembly to be
participated in by all
women organizations in the
province/city/municipality,
to discuss the various entry
points for
peoples/womens
participation in local
governance

Inventory of LGUs that have

convened the womens
assembly; Monitoring of
accredited groups of
women and assess sectoral
representations

Review or Legislate GAD

Codes that incorporate and
observe provisions of the
Magna Carta of Women
(especially Chapter V on
marginalized women)

Capacity building for all

women organizations in
relation to local governance
Inventory of LGUs with GAD
Codes and respective IRRs;
Monitoring if appropriate
complementation with the
MCW have been carried out

Audited financial
statements should be
optional for organizations
applying for accreditation;
this should be waived for
women organizations
representing the
marginalized sectors
Reporting of the GAD plan
and budget to a Barangay
Womens Assembly;
ensuring participation of all
existing peoples
organizations

Set-up grievance
mechanisms for womens
organizations that have
been discriminated in the
process of seeking
accreditation or
participation in local special
bodies
Issue guidelines on
Barangay accounting and
reporting of the GAD Plan
and Budget (DILG/PCW)

Capacity building for

women leaders who display
interest and potential to
participate in local
governance and politics.

Design training program for

women leaders in politics;
tap non-government
organizations to train rural
women who plan to engage
local (barangay/municipal)
elections.

Concerns

Strategies and TSMs

Activities

Of the number of VAWC

cases received/monitored by
PKKK, less than 10% were
able to pursue justice due to
limited means and little
access to support/services

Establish crisis centers that

are accessible to rural areas
(upland and fishing
communities); Guidelines
for anti-VAWC desks should
include the allocation of
budget necessary for
immediate financial support
needed by the women
victims

Establish referral system*

for rural women
organizations that conduct
monitoring of VAWC cases
and provide assistance to
victims/survivors (IACRW)

Women organizations tend

to compete on
limited/meager GAD Budget;
not all womens groups are
aware of the GAD budget
and how to access its
programs
Men still dominate in the
elective positions; womens
participation in local
elections are often impeded
by traditional politics

Anti-VAWC Mechanisms in the rural areas

Gender Equality Indicators

a.

Concerns

Increased support to
the reported VAWC
cases; i.e. provided with
legal remedies,
survivors were able to
claim assistance (legal,
health, psycho-social,
financial services)

Ensure crisis centers have

free medical support, food,
counseling, safe

*referral system includes

networks for capacity
building, service providers
for the VAWC survivors
needs, livelihood support
for the survivors family

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

b.

c.

Community-based
support systems
promote preventive
information campaigns
on VAWC and conduct
active documentation
of VAWC cases in the
rural areas

Undocumented cases of
VAWC and trafficking prevail,
despite being public
knowledge within the
community

Anti-VAWC campaign is
linked with over-all
womens health
concerns

Womens right to health

cannot be fulfilled as long as
VAWC prevails

Support information
campaign on universalizing
health care and anti-VAWC

Concerns

Strategies and TSMs

Activities

Rural womens access to

maternal health services is
very miserable , especially in
remote areas like upland,
island, tribal communities

Provincial Health Plan on

women should consider
situations in the remote
areas and adopt pro-active
strategies like regular
community visits (not onetime medical missions)

Mapping of available health

services in the far-flung
barrios (nature and quality);
identify health needs of the
rural women

8.

VAWC have become

accepted in the communitys
culture/way of living

Reduced maternal
mortality rates,
especially in the rural
areas

Allocate funds for rural

womens reproductive
health care

b.

c.

Conduct information
campaign on the RA9262,
MCW and other womens
rights in all barangays
Convene community-based
support groups that plan
information campaigns,
design quick interventions
and provide support to
victims of VAWC
Launch program campaigns
that integrate anti-VAWC
with womens health
programs in the barangays
(DILG/DOH)

Right to Health

Gender Equality Indicators

a.

environment, and other

services
Create community-based
multi-sectoral committees
in monitoring VAWC cases
and in providing immediate
assistance especially in the
process of obtaining BPOs.

Improved access to
Philhealth benefits,
especially maternal and
neonatal services

Improved access to
primary health care
services

Less than 50% have access to

health insurance among rural
women; less than 10% for
women landless workers

No updated and localized

health program: hospital
and dental services, botika sa
barangay
Impoverished women have
low health-seeking behavior
(can be attributed to the
stereotype of being
matiisin)

Advocate for the

implementation of the DOH
AO on Contraceptive Self
Reliance (CSR), where the
LGUs are mandated to
provide for contraceptive
commodities in local health
units (thru the RHUs and
City Health Offices)
Support to health insurance
of rural women, expand
coverage to include
hospitalization but other
reproductive health care
needs

Provincial Health Plan and

upgrading of provincial
hospital facilities; Inclusion
of health programs in the
Development Plans

Conduct free reproductive

check up for women,
especially pap smear
Education campaign on
womens rights to health,
reproductive health,
nutrition and sanitation

Conduct consultations and

policy reviews of Philhealth
coverage among rural
women
Dialogue with the Regional
DOLE on social protection
and occupation safety
hazards for farm workers
Universal Health
Orientation and education
campaign in every Barangay
Launch community-based
health programs

Targeted information
campaigns for marginalized
and impoverished women

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

Annex A
MAGNA CARTA OF WOMEN (RA 9710)
IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS (IRR) RULE V
RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT OF MARGINALIZED SECTORS
SECTION 23. Food Security and Productive Resources
The State recognizes the contribution of women to food production and shall ensure its
sustainability and sufficiency, including in the context of climate change, with the active participation
of women. Towards this end, the State shall guarantee, at all times, the availability in the market of
safe and health-giving food to satisfy the dietary needs of the population, giving particular attention
to the specific needs of poor girl-children and marginalized women, especially pregnant and lactating
mothers and their young children.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with other concerned departments, LGUs,
and stakeholders shall:
(a) undertake programs and projects on food security that are gender- responsive;
(b) recognize women as farmers and fisherfolk and give them equal opportunities to participate
in programs and projects;
(c) ensure the active and direct participation of rural womens groups, other than Rural
Improvement Clubs, in policy and program formulation, planning and designing,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of DA programs at the local levels including, but
not limited to, the rice master plan;
(d) ensure that girl-children and women benefit from all DA programs;
(e) ensure food safety by strengthening food management, control and regulatory systems,
including provision of necessary facilities; and
(f) promote community-based seed banking initiated and operated by women and barangay level
sustainable resource management.
LGUs shall formulate and implement a community-based food security plan that shall respect
religious and cultural practices. The plan shall be integrated into the development plans of the LGUs
to ensure that it is funded and implemented. Womens groups shall actively participate in planning
and designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the plan.
A. Right to Food
1. The DA shall:
a. In coordination with other agencies, involve women in food production, processing, and
marketing programs;
b. In coordination with Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Industrial
Technology Development Institute (ITDI), provide updated, useful information and gendersensitive technologies for production, processing, and marketing of food products;
c. In coordination with the LGUs, strengthen capacities of women by designing and
implementing appropriate training programs for food security;
d. Involve women in food security program development, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation; and
e. Promote the use of organic fertilizer in food production.
2. The DTI and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in coordination with other concerned
agencies, shall provide timely and accurate information on food safety such as, but not limited to,
labeling and traceability.
3. The DOST, Department of Energy (DOE), DA and other concerned agencies shall encourage the
use of alternative or renewable energy in food production.
B. Right to Resources for Food Production
1. Equal status shall be given to women and men, whether married or not, in the titling of the land
and issuance of stewardship contracts and patents. Further:
a. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall issue the Emancipation Patent (EP) and
Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), to all qualified beneficiaries regardless of

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

sex, civil status, or physical condition. In order to protect the rights of legally married
spouses where properties form part of the conjugalpartnership of gains or absolute
community property, the names of both shall appear in the EP and CLOA preceded by the
word spouses. In unions where parties are not legally married, the names of both parties
shall likewise appear in EP and CLOA with the conjunctive word and between their
names;
b. DAR shall screen bonafide agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). As such, either spouse or
party in a relationship who individually possess qualifications shall have the right to
identification, screening and selection of ARBs;
c. In no case shall a woman be excluded either in the titling of the land or issuance of
stewardship contracts and patents on the account of sex, being married, or being in a union
without marriage to an agrarian reform beneficiary;
d. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall issue Certificate of
Stewardships in the name of both spouses who shall then be co-stewards of the land;
e. The DENR shall ensure that women, regardless of civil status, shall enjoy equal rights as men
in the filing, acceptance, processing, and approval of public land applications;
f. All concerned agencies shall review and revise their judicial and administrative forms,
harmonize their database, and generate sex-disaggregated information; and
g. The Land Registration Authority (LRA) shall comply with the provisions of the Act and these
Rules and Regulations.
2. Equal treatment shall be given to women and men beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program,
wherein the vested right of a woman agrarian reform beneficiary is defined by a woman's relationship
to tillage, i.e., her direct and indirect contribution to the development of the land. Further:
a. The DAR, in coordination with other concerned agencies, shall develop guidelines that will
recognize womens paid and unpaid work as bases for her direct and indirect contribution in
the development of the land; and
b. Both spouses and parties shall be accorded equal rights and access in availing of support
services as provided for in agrarian reform laws, without discrimination of sex. It shall be the
joint and mutual obligation and responsibility of both spouses and parties that the support
services extended to them by DAR, DA, and other concerned agencies be fully and
exclusively utilized for the intended purpose.
3. Customary rights of women to the land, including access to and control of the fruits and benefits,
shall be recognized in circumstances where private ownership is not possible, such as ancestral
domain claims. Further:
a. Property rights under customary laws shall be respected as long as they are not discriminatory
to women;
b. The management and utilization of forest resources shall provide equal opportunities for men
and women to participate and share in attendant responsibilities and benefits;
c. In developing Comprehensive Development and Management Plans (CDMP), Industrial
Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) holders shall integrate gender concerns including
the equitable participation of women in implementing the CDMP and enjoying the fruits
thereof; and
d. The DA, in coordination with NCIP and other concerned agencies, shall promote the
application of indigenous knowledge and practices on food production and preservation.
4. Information and assistance in claiming rights to the land shall be made available to women at all
times. All concerned agencies with land management programs shall develop programs to provide
information, education and communication, and assistance in claiming rights.
5. Equal rights of women to the enjoyment, use, and management of land, water, and other natural
resources within their communities or ancestral domains shall be guaranteed. Further:
a. Women shall participate in the management of protected areas;
b. The Department of Tourism (DOT) shall promote community-managed, eco-tourism projects
participated by women stakeholders from the community; and
c. Government agencies in-charge of irrigation and watershed management shall provide access
to small irrigation and rainwater harvesting facilities as well as programs on rehabilitation of
watershed areas to small women farmers.
6. Equal access to the use and management of fisheries and aquatic resources, and all the rights and
benefits accruing to stakeholders in the fishing industry shall be guaranteed. Further:
a. The DA, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), in coordination
with National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC), shall

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PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

assist the LGUs in developing a standard registration form for municipal fisherfolk, fishing
vessels and gears as stated in Section 19 of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998. The
Registry of Municipal Fisherfolk shall serve as basis for the identification of priority
municipal fisherfolk who shall be allowed to fish within the municipal waters;
b. LGUs shall maintain an updated database of women fisherfolk that may be accessed by
BFAR, PCW and other interested institutions for program development and policy-making;
and
c. Women fisherfolk shall be entitled to benefits and privileges accorded to other workers under
the Labor Code, Social Security System (SSS) and other laws.
7. Equal status shall be given to women and men in the issuance of stewardship or lease agreements
and other fishery rights that may be granted for the use and management of coastal and aquatic
resources. In the same manner, women's organizations shall be given equal treatment as with other
marginalized fishers organizations in the issuance of stewardship or lease agreements or other fishery
rights for the use and management of such coastal and aquatic resources which may include
providing support to womenengaged coastal resources.
The LGUs and BFAR shall ensure the full participation of women in the planning and designing,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of coastal resource management programs; and designate
coastal areas to be managed by women.
8. There shall be no discrimination against women in the deputization of fish wardens. Towards this
end, the LGUs shall:
a. Deputize women who are already functioning as fish wardens within six (6) months upon
adoption of these Rules and Regulations;
b. Provide venues where womens roles as effective fish wardens will be recognized;
c. Provide capacity development training for women fish wardens; and
d. Provide social and legal protection for all deputized fish wardens.
9. Women-friendly and sustainable agriculture technology shall be designed based on accessibility and
viability in consultation with womens organizations. Further:
a. All concerned agencies involved in research and development, including SUCs and higher
education institutions (HEIs), shall allocate budget for basic and applied research to develop
and promote women-friendly technologies;
b. The DA-Bureau of Post-Harvest Research and Extension (BPRE) shall design and promote
the commercial use of improved post-harvest processing facilities and equipment of selected
commercial crops among women and men, farmer-groups, processors and small-holder
entrepreneurs to reduce post-harvest losses and increase income derived from value-added
processing operations;
c. The BFAR and Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) shall design and promote
the use of women-friendly fishing gears and post-harvest facilities and equipment;
d. The National Dairy Authority (NDA) shall design and promote women-friendly dairy
technologies;
e. The DOST shall promote appropriate women friendly technologies and support women
inventors and scientists;
f. The DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) shall include sustainable agriculture practices and
technologies, including varietal selection and community seedbanking in its training
programs;
g. DA and LGUs shall ensure participation of rural women by tapping existing peoples
organizations, NGOs and rural women groups in their training on food production with
emphasis on sustainable agriculture and fisheries such as but not limited to production of
organic inputs and fertilizers, natural farming and vermi-composting, and other technologies.
10. Access to small farmer-based and controlled seeds production and distribution shall be ensured
and protected. Towards this end, the DA shall:
a. Provide access to seeds production, including both traditional and locally adapted varieties,
planting materials, fingerlings, and broodstocks for women small farmers and fisherfolks;
b. Include all womens organizations in its indigenous vegetables production projects;
c. Ensure access of small farmers and fisherfolk in seeds production and distribution as well as
improved breed of animals;
d. Provide access to seed technology updates; and
e. Together with LGUs, develop and implement community seed banking and farmer-to-farmer
seed exchange.

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PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

11. Indigenous practices of women in seed storage and cultivation shall be recognized, encouraged,
and protected. Towards this end, the NCIP and concerned agencies shall:
a. Provide information on indigenous farming and fishing practices; and
b. Promote and improve indigenous knowledge and practices.
12. Equal rights shall be given to women to be members of farmers' organizations to ensure wider
access to and control of the means of production. Further:
a. DA, DTI, and other concerned agencies shall provide support for marketing, credit,
technologies, and training for women; and
b. Ensure membership of marginalized women in councils for sustainable development that are
created pursuant to existing laws.
13. Provide opportunities for empowering women fishers to be involved in the control and
management, not only of the catch and production of aquamarine resources but also, to engage in
entrepreneurial activities which will add value to production and marketing ventures. For this
purpose, the DA shall undertake the following:
a. Provide capability building program to promote greater bankability and worthiness of
municipal and small scale women commercial fishers. Such program shall include organizing
activities, technology transfer, and skills training related to commercial fishing as well as
credit management. Groups and cooperatives organized under the program shall have
priority access over credit and other
funds for women fisherfolk;
b. Conduct information campaign to promote the capability-building and credit programs to
women fisherfolk; and
c. Open special credit windows in existing government financing institutions for women
fisherfolk.
14. Provide economic opportunities for the indigenous and rural women particularly access to market
for their produce. Inthe enforcement of the foregoing, the requirements of law, such as free and
prior informed consent, shall be observed at all times. Further:
a. DA, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), DAR, and LGUs shall ensure
access and links of production areas to markets and stimulate economic activities in the
communities as well as provide better access to social services by constructing farm-tomarket roads in the rural areas; and
b. DA, DTI, TESDA, NCIP, DENR, and SUCs/ HEIs shall provide trainings on marketing of
agricultural and forestry products to ensure delivery of produce. These include market
opportunity awareness, technology transfer on processing, labeling, and packaging.

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PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

Annex B

Rural Women and Gender Responsive Governance

ural women vary from one another according to what they do to live, where they are,
what relationships they are in, what opportunities they have access to and what
decisions they are able to make. For this reason a woman fisher copes differently from a
woman farmer; a woman upland farmer strategizes differently from a woman farmer in the
lowland; and indigenous women vary in beliefs and actions as defined by their communitys
cultural, economic and political systems. On the other hand, rural women do share
common experiences such as dependence on and nurturing of the natural resources,
seasonality of work, food provisioning roles in the family; unfortunately, almost always in the
context of extreme marginalization and invisibility in rural development policies.
Rural women (in the South) often experience challenges posed by their gender as well as by their class. Every
day, a large number of women farmers, fishers, rural informal workers, and indigenous women take on the
role of ensuring the "economic survival of their families" as affirmed by the Convention on the Elimination of
all forms of discrimination against Women (CEDAW Article 14). Often unpaid and undervalued, such
roles prove to be a burden considering the stagnation of development and unequal distribution of resources that
remain widespread in rural areas today. Despite the claim that rural women are responsible for more than
half of the world food production, much remains to be dissatisfied about. As how UNFPA summarized it;
women food producers are "handicapped" in three major areas, i.e. barriers in inheritance or property
ownership, systematic neglect and marginalization of their activities, and limited chances to maximize
economic opportunities. These conditions can be considered as barriers to rural women's enjoyment of their
strategic gender interests and economic justice concerns. For the rural women, survival needs (including food
provisioning) are predisposed by their strategic needs, i.e. access to and control over resources; While rural
women's gender justice concerns are heavily influenced by economic justice concerns, i.e. rural poverty define the
contours of rural women's gender-based struggles, identities and relations.3
Thus, an effective rural women-specific development policy requires a responsive
approach to these barriers and an encompassing plan to the wide-ranging needs and
concerns of our rural women. The UN CEDAW confirmed this when it recommended to
the Philippines:
The Committee calls on the State party to pay special attention to the needs of rural women,
indigenous women and Muslim women living in the autonomous region of Muslim
Mindanao, ensuring that they have access to health care, social security, education, clean water and
sanitation services, fertile land, income-generation opportunities and participation in decision-making
processes. The Committee recommends that the State party ensures womens access to justice through
the provision of legal aid and takes steps to prosecute perpetrators of violence against them. It also
encourages the State party to provide increased educational opportunities to Muslim girls to
discourage early marriages. The Committee requests the State party to include in its next report sexdisaggregated data and information on the de facto position of rural, indigenous and Muslim women,
and on the impact of measures taken and results achieved with policies and programmes implemented
for these groups of women. (UN CEDAW Concluding Comments, 25 August 2006)
Gender Responsive Governance: as defined by the Rural Women
CEDAW is the key instrument that would address rural womens needs and concerns,
especially in making duty bearers accountable to rural womens rights. In PKKK
consultations, rural women put premium on governments accountability to CEDAW
through gender responsive governance, which the rural women defined as follows:
Batas o polisiyang tumutugon sa karapatang pantao at karapatan ng kababaihan;
Polisiya at implementasyon ng polisiya na nagreresulta sa programang may patas na trato sa lalaki
at babae;
3

Leyesa, M.D. Gender and Governance: The Womens Voice of Resistance to the Philippine Agricultural Trade Policy. Unpublished
Paper. 27 June 2008

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PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

Proseso ng pamamahala na kumikilala sa boses at partisipasyon ng kababaihan, at pagiging

bahagi ng local special bodies;
Nagdudulot ng pagbabago sa kalagayan ng diskriminasyon, nagpapalakas sa kakayanan at
nagsasakapangyarihan (empowerment) ng kababaihan
These standards/definitions guide the strategies for the proposed GRRWDP. But the rural
women are aware that for gender responsive governance to take place there is the need to
challenge the exercise of power in order to influence or exact accountability from social
institutions, most especially from government agencies. PKKK believes that key strategy for
this is to ensure that womens voices are heard and recognized, whether in the form of
resistance or affirmation.
As Box 1 illustrates, gender-responsive governance is both a process and end-result it is
about taking steps to achieve equality and eliminate discrimination in the allocation of
resources and it is also about achieving indicatives of change.
Box 1. Framework of Analysis

Again, these indicators with respect to gender equality are situated and not delinked from the
sectoral context and experiences of rural women. A woman endowed with land capital
understands property rights differently from a wage-subsistent female agricultural worker.
Women farmers interest on land titling is significantly different from land (and coastal
water) issues of fisherwomen, as well as from ancestral domain concerns of indigenous
women. Therefore, both indicators (status) and temporary special measures (actions) are
shaped by the sectoral contexts of rural women subgroups. As bases for the GRRWDP, a
comprehensive CEDAW-guided investigation of the womens situation was conducted
among nine (9) provincial coalitions that more or less represent core issues of the Rural
Women Agenda. The main areas of inquiry for the CEDAW monitoring:

What is the situation of rural women (vis--vis indicators of gender equality) in the different themes?
What are the barriers to achieving gender equality (discrimination)? What are hindering and facilitating factors?
What were the responses/actions of government (local to national) to address rural womens concerns?
What were the actions taken by rural women to promote their rights? How do they understand their rights?
What can be done in the coming year to promote, protect and fulfill womens rights?4

PKKK 2010, Draft Paper on Rural Women CEDAW Monitoring (A compilation of 9 Thematic Papers on the
Rural Women Agenda).

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