Studies show that gender norms and labels limit the opportunities of both women and men in different ways wherein ensuing inequalities have historically put females at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, it has also been proven that empowering women produces extensive and significant effect on economic and development growth. As a result, calls for concerted efforts emerged worldwide in the 1960s to counter gender disparity.
The adoption of various international landmark agreements has been instrumental in achieving substantial results in advancing gender equality that include the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action . These agreements were reached through the works of the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women which was established in 1946.
The 2015 UN Women Report however, revealed that gender inequalities remain pervasive in every society. They struggle from lack of access to decent work and gender wage gaps, among others. They are also deprived of admission to basic education and health care. Neither are they spared from violence and discrimination. The report also bared that they are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes.
Finally, the international community witnessed a defining moment for its efforts to advance gender equality when the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was adopted in 2015 by the United Nations. With 17 goals and 169 targets, the SDGs seek to transform the course of the 21st century as it addresses key challenges such as poverty, inequality, and violence against women and girls. As women’s empowerment is essential particularly to the latter, a stand-alone goal (Goal 5) has been devoted to achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment towards hastening sustainable development.
In the 2016 progress report of the United Nations on Goal 5, gender equality and women’s empowerment were advanced in recent decades. Access to education of women has improved. There was also a decline on the rate of child marriage and improvement was made in the area of sexual and reproductive health, and reproductive rights. Lesser maternal deaths was also recorded.
The challenge to achieving gender equality should be addressed earnestly bearing in mind the latest 2017 Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum (WEF). The report estimates that it will take another century before the world reaches a gender-equal status. As this poses a major hurdle to sustainable development, closing the enormous gaps between women and men requires stepping up efforts at all fronts.
Understanding Gender Mainstreaming
The United Nations pointed out that gender mainstreaming is not about adding a “woman’s component” or even a “gender equality component” into an existing activity. It further stressed that mainstreaming goes beyond increasing women’s participation; it means bringing the experience, knowledge, and interests of women and men to bear on the development agenda.
Understanding the concept of gender equality as the main goal of mainstreaming facilitates an effective implementation of the mechanisms of the strategy. Equality between women and men or gender equality refers to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys.
Equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women and men’s rights, responsibilities, and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.
Philippines’ Viewpoint
The Philippines has persistently shown its drive in advancing gender equality and promoting women empowerment. Foremost, the Philippine Constitution directed the tone for the equality of men and women before the law. Following this recognition, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) reported that efforts to make governance gender responsive are promoted through legislation such as the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) or RA 9710.
The MCW mandates non-discriminatory and pro-gender equality and equity processes to facilitate women’s involvement in the development of policies, plans and programs ranging from formulation, implementation, and evaluation for both national and local development.
The MCW further strengthened mainstreaming gender and development in the Philippine bureaucracy. Yearly, all government agencies and instrumentalities are required to identify gender issues and corresponding gender and development programs, activities and projects (PAPs) in their annual Gender and Development (GAD) Plan and Budget. Furthermore, the cost of implementation of the identified PAPs shall be at least five percent (5%) of their total budgets.
The Philippines also adheres to the provisions of the UN CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related international conventions and commitments.
Recently, the 2017 report of the World Economic Forum on the Global Gender Gap Report revealed that although the Philippines fell 3 spots from 7th place in 2016 to 10th place, it however maintained its status of being the most gender equal country in Asia. The report ranked 144 countries based on 4 categories namely: labor force participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
CFO’s Gender Mainstreaming Efforts
CFO’s Gender Mainstreaming Efforts
Moving beyond labor movement has been the current trend for the Philippine migration as Filipinos migrate for reasons other than employment. These could range from family unification to marriage to foreign nationals, from business to educational opportunities and professional advancement.
From 2005-2015, CFO data revealed that of the 888,152 registered emigrants, 529,390 or 60% were female. One aspect of migration that is usually not discussed is the marriage migration. CFO recorded that from the same 10-year period, there were 235,695 spouses or partners of foreign nationals. From these numbers, 215,875 were women, which is equivalent to 92%.
The CFO continuously strives to address the particular vulnerabilities and situations of the predominantly female migrating spouses or partners of foreign nationals, in every stage of the migration cycle, such as pre-departure preparedness and marriage migrants’ integration to the host country. Thus, CFO had been conducting various and country specific pre-departure orientation services for them, such as (a) Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP) for marriage migrants; (b) Peer Counseling Program for youth migrants; (c) Country Familiarization Seminar (CFS) for Au Pair Participants; (d) Pre-departure Orientation Seminar for US-bound Exchanger Visitor Program participants; (e) Community Education Program; (f) Fight Against Human Trafficking; and (f) Financial Literacy Program.
These programs and services reflect the government’s commitment to mitigate the social costs of gender disparity brought by migration, and protect and promote the rights, the welfare and interests of overseas Filipinos in every possible way.
Establishment of Online GAD Corner
The CFO established its GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) which consists of representatives from all divisions of CFO to ensure that GAD issues and concerns, gender equality and women’s empowerment be mainstreamed within the Commission.
It also set-up this online GAD Corner to feature CFO’s collection of GAD knowledge materials and its related programs, projects and activities. It serves as a portal for accessing and sharing information on mainstreaming gender and development.
Mindful of its effects, this online GAD Corner will feature a vast collection of GAD knowledge materials and the related programs, activities and projects of CFO. It will serve as a portal for accessing and sharing information on mainstreaming gender and development. The public is expected to be apprised of the unremitting efforts of the international community, non-government organizations, and the Philippine government in advancing gender equality, thereby enhancing the readiness of CFO to expose and introduce the GAD efforts and concepts to the public.
The consolidation of the reference materials from various sources in CFO’s Online GAD Corner aims to reinforce consciousness and sensitivity on gender issues towards developing gender-related advocacies and programs that would elevate the integration of gender concepts across all sectors.
Republic Act 10906 is an act providing stronger measures against unlawful practices, businesses, and schemes of matching and offering Filipinos to foreign nationals for purposes of marriage or common law partnerships. It became a law on 21 July 2016.
The Act repeals Republic Act 6955 or the Anti-Mail Order Bride Act. The salient features of the new law are the inclusion of Filipino men against acts of matching for purposes of marriage or common law partnerships to foreign nationals; matching through the use of internet; confiscation and forfeiture of proceeds and instruments derived from committing he prohibited acts in favor of the government; provision on the formulation of an implementing rules and regulations; and imposing stiffer penalties on its violation.
This primer provides concise information about the Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 as amended by the Republic Act 10364. It serves as a handy reference on the salient provisions of the Act and the available programs and services for trafficked victims.
This compilation features the number of CFO-registered Filipino emigrants, spouses and partners of foreign nationals, US Exchange Visitor Program (EVP), au pairs, and data on financial and material contribution of overseas Filipinos to the Philippines coursed through the CFO’s Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL).
The Faces of OF-ReD is a special publication by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, Cooperative Bank of Ilocos Norte, United Nations Development Programme and the Western Union Foundation. The photo-book documents the inspiring, sometimes heart-breaking success stories of 20 beneficiaries of the Overseas Filipinos Remittances for Development (OF-ReD): Building a Future Back Home Project. The beneficiaries are mostly returning Ilocano women migrants and some are dependents of overseas Ilocano migrants.
1343 Actionline against Human Trafficking is 24/7 hotline for emergency calls, inquiries, requests for assistance, and reports of human trafficking and other related acts such as illegal recruitment, mail order bride scheme, and child trafficking, among others. The poster reminds the public of the different forms of human trafficking, and report such incidents thru 1343 should they know or witness one.
These publications are available for free at CFO’s main office in Manila. Interested parties may drop-by at our office or contact CFO thru telephone numbers (02) 552-4761 to 67 to get free copies.
Gintong Patnubay
The comics magazine reflects real-life stories and experiences of Filipinos overseas.
