Women, Development and the World

Sectoral Situationer – Gender permeates all aspects of society. This idea may be hard to imagine
because oppression due to gender has been so normalized that even those who experience the brunt of
this system see no wrong in it. The sectoral situationer will given an overview of the condition of women
both in the Philippines and around the globe in relation to oppression.

i. Women and the Economy: Women and Work – while both men and women have problems
concerning work, women have specific labor issues related to their gender. Moreover, women’s work is
often invisibilized due to their socialized gender roles.

1. There are fewer women than men at work, and most women only work in one sector.

2. Not only are fewer women employed, they also experience the pay gap – they are paid less than what
men receive for doing the same work, across al sectors and occupations.

3. While many issues concerning women and work have yet to be addressed, some issues have gained
ground, such as maternity and paternity leaves.

4. Women also experience gender biases in the Philippines, such as their “limited career choices, lack of
support facilities, sexual harassment, lack of protection for the informal sector and domestic workers,
tenuous social protection, limited monitoring on labor standards, and unremitting promotion of labor
export policy”.

U.S. Civilian Labor Force 47%

GAFAM: Women Still Total Workforce Leadership Tech Jobs

Underrepresented in
Tech

Amazon 42% 27% N/A

Facebook 37% 33% 23%
Apple 33% 29% 23%
Google 32% 26% 23%
Microsoft 28% 25% 20%

The pay gap is most severe for women of color (2010-14)

Asian $0.75
African American $0.70
Native Hawaiian And Pacific Islander $0.66
Native American $0.62
Latina $0.51
Women and Education – Gender parity in primary education is present not just in the Philippines, but
also in the rest of the world, with girls performing better than boys in some regions.

Issues in education involve the gendered nature of certain specializations. Women may be
underrepresented in STEM fields.

Women and Health – access to health care and health services constitute issues surrounding women
and health, as well as a woman’s emotional, psychological, and and social wellness. Globally, maternal
health has improved considerably. However, pregnancy and childbirth are still the main health concerns
of women aged 15-29.

The average life expectancy of women has risen to the age of 72 years, while it is 68 for men

Violence against women (VAW) exists on a global scale, and affects millions of women on a daily basis.
Statistics on VAW show the reach of this gender-based epidemic.

Culture-specific violence such as bride burning, child brides, or female genital mutilation is still practiced
despite its violation of a person’s basic human rights.

Bride burning is a form of domestic violence that is practiced in areas such as Bangladesh and Pakistan
but most predominately India. Thousands of young women aged mostly in the 15-34 age group are being
burned alive in these so-called "fires" are a result of blatant domestic abuse. (1) Its said that "the
number such cases reported to police is rising, due either to an increase in the number of burnings or to
more willingness by victims to report them. And should the woman survive, the toll is heavy."(s) I find
that this is true when I look at statistics from the past years. If you want to take a close look; go to my
"Learn More/Get Involved" link located to your right.

Women in Armed Conflict – armed conflict is seen as a critical area of concern in terms of women’s
participation in peace panels and peacekeeping, as well as in terms of their victimization during conflict
around the globe.

A special form of victimization occurs for women in armed conflict. Women have gender-specific needs
apart from the basic survival needs that other victims of conflict have.

Women in Power and Politics – the number of women in parliament worldwide has doubled in the years
since the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA). However, women compose only 22%
of the parliament today.

The Philippines made it to the top ten countries in the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Index
for 2015.
Strengthening Women's Political Participation and Decision-Making Power
"TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IS A SOCIETY WHERE
WOMEN HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN BODIES." By ULRIKA KARLSSON

The Magna Carta for Women is a groundbreaking law that serves as the “comprehensive bill of rights
for Filipino women”.

Likewise, the Women’s Empowerment, Development, and Gender Equality Plan for 2013-2016 is a
framework plan for gender mainstreaming developed by the Philippine Commission on Women.

PHILIPPINES' LAWS ON ADULTERY, CONCUBINAGE AND MARRIAGE NULLITY

Philippines' law criminalizes adultery and concubinage Both are deemed "crimes against chastity under
the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines and are treated as sexual infidelity in the Family Code

The law discriminates against wives. The crime of adultery can be committed only by a wife and her
paramour. The husband need only prove that his wife had sexual intercourse with a man other than him.

Discrimination against the Girl-Child – the BPfA sees the girl-child as an important sector that faces
numerous forms of injustice.

Women experience their first forms of discrimination during childhood. Because some cultures value
boys over girls, girl-children may fall victim to female infanticide and sex-selective abortion.
Women and the Environment – talks about the environment have remained mostly gender-neutral
before the BPfA. However, “women and the environment” has been named as a critical area of concern
due to the disproportional impact of environmental issues on women.

While men and women are equally affected by access to water or the exposure to disasters, women are
more burdened. The caregiving, cooking and cleaning assigned to them requires water and fuel in their
homes.

Women and Disaster – the accelerating effects of climate change have increased the unpredictability of
the weather systems around the world.

Gender and disaster resilience are strongly correlated. Case studies on post-disaster communities show
that women and girls are more susceptible to the effects of a tragedy.

Women in the Indigenous Communities – there are 14-17 million indigenous peoples in the Philippines
belonging to 110 ethno-linguistic groups.
Historically, the indigenous peoples have been subjected to discrimination and marginalization in the
course of political processes and economic activities.

Filipino Women in Other Sectors – Muslim women in the country are affected by armed conflict.

When communities are displaced due to such situation, women and children are the majority among the
internally displaced people.

Gender Interests and Needs

Gender analysis helps us understand that there is a difference between practical needs and strategic
interests. Understanding this difference helps us to identify positive measures that can be undertaken to
rectify inequalities between women and men.

Practical needs are those that can be considered as immediate necessities for both women and men
(basic needs such as water, food, income, shelter and health care). Initiatives that only aim to meet
practical needs seek to respond to issues arising from inadequate living conditions.
What are Gender Issues?
A gender stereotype is a generalised view or preconception about attributes or characteristics, or the
roles that are or ought to be possessed by, or performed by women and men.

It is harmful when it limits women's and men's capacity to develop their personal abilities, pursue their
professional careers and make choices about their lives.

Harmful stereotypes can be both hostile/negative (e.g., women are "maarte") or seemingly benign (e.g.,
women are "magaling magluto"). For example, the fact that child care responsibilities often fall
exclusively on women is based on the latter stereotype.

Stereotyping - Tendency or attitude to assign fixed, unquestioned, unexamined beliefs and perceptions
about women and men. Assumption: The ascribed attributes of men exclusively apply to all men and
those of women exclusively apply to all women in a given society.

Common Gender Stereotypes for Men

- Men are tough and powerful

- Men are unfeeling and insensitive
- Men are logical, sensible and rational.
- Men are afraid to commit in a relationship and form an attachment.
- Men are primarily interested in their careers or vocations.
- Men do not have a primary interest in marriage and parenthood.
Common Gender Stereotypes for Women

- Women are helpless and childish.

- Women are sensitive and intuitive.
- Women are scatterbrained, unstable and irrational.
- Women can easily form deep emotional attachments.
- Women do not have a primary interest in their careers or vocations.
- Women are primarily interested in a long term relationship and parenthood.
Subordination

Secondary status of women in society, Because of this. women have less access and control over the
resources and benefits. Men continue to dominate the corporate world, politics and sports.
Multiple Burden

Women perform several tasks and responsibilities despite their limited time and energy.
Marginalization - refers to a condition where a whole category of people is excluded from useful and
meaningful participation in political, economic, social, and cultural life.

Marginalized - refers to the basic, disadvantaged, or vulnerable persons or groups who are mostly living
in poverty and have little or no access to land and other resources, basic social and economic services
such as health care, education, water and sanitation, employment and livelihood opportunities, housing,
social security, physical infrastructure; and the justice system.

Marginalization - Women's participation in development is limited to traditional programs and projects.

Women are forced out into the periphery of economic and social life. Value of their activities are
diminished or not recognized.