by Carolyn Israel-Sobritchea, Ph.D

What’s development?

What’s gender?

How does gender create gender issues?

What’s GAD?

Why us?

Where do we go from here?

UP-CWS

Development is about attaining a full and satisfying life for all

Attaining a full and satisfying life for all is a shared responsibility

of everyone-regardless of age, sex, religion, ethnicity or class

of the government as duly mandated authority

of all individuals and entities who benefit from development or are affected by the lack of it

UP-CWS

UP-CWS

For individuals the performance of this

responsibility requires:

the capacity to do; and

the capacity to be

UP-CWS

The capacity to do means—the ability or power

to do productive and satisfying work

to have control over one’s income and benefit from it

to enjoy nature and the natural environment

to procreate and rear children

to care for others

to travel in search for opportunitiesUP-CWS

Because of these, women and men are boxed into situations ---

which constrain their

capacity to do and to be

and hinder their potential to attain a full and satisfying life

UP-CWS

The capacity to be means—the right or opportunity

to be knowledgeable and skillful

to be well-nourished

to be confident of own abilities

to be comfortable with achievements, independence and power

UP-CWS

Women, have unique stakes, roles and insights to share in order to attain development objectives such as in:

sustaining the environment

managing population growth

imparting values that have profound on human progress and economic development

UP-CWS

For governments, the responsibility to promote the attainment of a better life for all means -- helping people develop their

abilities and individual strengths

Protecting people’s rights and creating opportunities for the development of people’s abilities and individual strengths

Removing all legal and cultural barriers to the attainment of full human development

UP-CWS

We are mandated by international treaties/commitments, laws and policies

Gender issues affect all of us. But instead of solving them, we all contribute to their perpetuation.

UP-CWS

GENDER EQUALITY in rights applies to the right to:

1. Own land;2. Manage property;3. Equality in voice;4. Conduct business5. Travel6. Be free from physical harm and violence;

and7. Be free from security risks (risk of domestic

violence and conflict, physical and cultural isolation and marginalization

Source: NCRFW 2003. Mainstreaming Gender in Development Planning Framework and Guidelines.

UP-CWS

what makes one masculine or feminine

socially determined; culturally defined

changes across time

changes across places and cultures

learned behavior

UP-CWS

Problems that women and men experience as a result of societies’ definitions and expectations about

feminine and masculine roles, rights and capacities

UP-CWS

39.2% of the country’s 80.2 million population are estimated to live below the poverty line;

Its population growth rate is 2.3% annually, considered high by world standards as the ideal rate is around 1% a year;

Under conditions of poverty and high population growth, women become a vulnerable group due to their multiple social and responsibilities;

UP-CWS

More than one-third of employed women among the bottom 30% of rural families were unpaid family workers doing agriculture, fishery and forestry work which was also not officially accounted for nor recognized;

Male employment rate was higher at the national level at 92.1% compared with women at 90.6%;

UP-CWS

As child bearers and homemakers, they carry much of the burden of poverty affecting families and households;

As economic providers, they are tasked to ensure their families’ economic security and well-being.

As traditional caregivers, they assume primary responsibility not only for the care of children but for other members of the family or household such as the sick, the disables and the elderly; and

UP-CWS

Social Trends Resulting from Weak Economy

Increase in prostitution

Child trafficking

Breakdown of Family ties

UP-CWS

…is about recognizing that gender biases impede development because:

they prevent people from attaining their full potentials (which will enable them to become effective contributors to development)

UP-CWS

GAD is about being faithful to the principle

that

Fairness and equity demands that everyone in society, whether male or female has the right to the same opportunities to achieve a full and satisfying life.UP-CWS

focuses on gender relations

designs developing programs to respond to gender issues

commits to the goal of gender equality and women’s empowerment

UP-CWS