Gender and Development Mainstreaming Gender and Development by Carolyn Israel-Sobritchea, Ph.D

Gender and Development 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: What's the bottomline? 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

of this responsibility? What underlies the performance of this responsibility? 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 opportunities UP-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: Own land; Manage property; Equality in voice; Conduct business Travel Be free from physical harm and violence; and 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 What is Gender? what makes one masculine or feminine socially determined; culturally defined changes across time changes across places and cultures learned behavior UP-CWS

Gender issues Problems that women and men experience as a result of societies’ definitions and expectations about feminine and masculine roles, rights and capacities UP-CWS

The Philippine Situation Women and Poverty The Philippine Situation 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

...Women and Poverty 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

...Women and Poverty As child bearers and homemakers, they carry much of the burden of poverty affecting families and households; 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 As economic providers, they are tasked to ensure their families’ economic security and well-being. UP-CWS

Challenges that Lie Ahead 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: Then what is GAD? …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 Development is for all!!!! 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

GAD 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

Maraming Salamat!