Gad (Gender and Development)

Gender and Development |

           Gender refers to the specific set of characteristics that identifies the social behavior of women and men and the relationship between them. Gender alludes not simply to women or men but to the relationship between them and the way it is socially constructed. Since gender biases exist and these biases prevent people from attaining their full potentials, development is impeded. To ensure that explicit, implicit, actual and potential gender biases are removed, the government embarked on gender and development (GAD) as one of its priority programs. GAD focuses on the principle that development is for all. Everyone in society, female or male, has the right to equal opportunities to achieve a full and satisfying life. Women and men enjoy the same conditions for realizing their full human rights and potentials to contribute to development as well as benefit from the results. | |

Philippine Initiatives on Gender-Responsive Governance

In the Philippines, efforts to make governance gender responsive are promoted through legislation, such as the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) which mandates non-discriminatory and pro-gender equality and equity measures to enable women’s participation in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of policies, plans, and programs for national, regional, and local development.

Also, the Philippine Framework Plan for Women (FPW) indicated actions planned for gender responsive governance to be undertaken by government agencies, LGUs and civil society as follows:

On mainstreaming Gender and Development (GAD) in the bureaucracy –

1. Enforce compliance to GAD mainstreaming policies

2. Enhance existing structural mechanisms to accelerate mainstreaming of GAD

3. Localize GAD mainstreaming efforts

4. Enhance capability of local and regional GAD practitioners/trainors to deliver GAD programs

5. Strengthen linkages and partnerships among various partners

On enhancing women’s leadership...