Gender and Development Awareness

Definition of Terms

Gender and Development (GAD) - the development perspective that recognizes the unequal status and
situation of women and men in society. Women and men have different development needs and
interests as a result of said inequality, which is institutionalized and perpetuated by cultural, social,
economic and political norms, systems and structures. As a development approach, GAD seeks to
equalize the status and condition of said relations between women and men by influencing the
processes and  outputs of policy-making, budgeting, implementing, monitoring, and evaluation so that
they would deliberately address the gender issues and concerns affecting the full development of
women.

Discrimination is defined as:

Overt behavior in which people are given different and unfavorable treatment on the basis of their race,
class, sex, and cultural status”. Any practice, policy or procedure that denies equality of treatment to an
individual or group.

Understanding Sex and Gender (What is Sex?)

 Natural distinguishing variable based on biological characteristics of being a man or a woman.

 Same across all cultures; CANNOT BE CHANGED!

What is Gender?

 The socially differentiated roles, characteristics and expectations attributed by culture to women
and men;
 Composite of attitudes and behavior of men and women (masculinity & femininity);
 Created, produced, reproduced and maintained by social institutions, a process otherwise
referred to as the social construction of gender. CAN BE CHANGED!

Sex and Gender Roles

 A sex role is a function which a male or female assumes because of the basic physiological or
anatomical differences between the sexes.
 A gender role refers to society’s evaluation of behavior as masculine or feminine.
Gender Bias and Manifestation

“...cultural beliefs, perceptions, practices, values, roles, attitudes, and structural arrangements that
favor one sex over the other, not on the basis of individual merits but on what society recognizes as
having greater value.”

Emphasize that gender bias, which refers to the differential treatment and valuing of men and women,
is not only found in cultural beliefs, but also in the perceptions, practices, values and attitudes of the
people in the society. Because of these differential treatments and values given on men and women,
certain structural arrangements are made to favor men, not because of merit, but because of the
outdated and traditional view that men are superior than women. These unfair treatment results to the
discrimination of women.

Discrimination is defined as:

Overt behavior in which people are given different and unfavorable treatment on the basis of their race,
class, sex, and cultural status”. Any practice, policy or procedure that denies equality of treatment to an
individual or group.

Different manifestations of Gender Bias (Economic Marginalization)

This happens when women’s work, especially their reproductive functions of child bearing, child rearing
and family care and housework, are not considered as directly contributing to economic development,
making their outputs unrecognized and undervalued. It also happens when women are considered as
non-essential force in the economy despite their crucial role in production.

Political Subordination

This refers to the act of imposing that power and leadership in the home, community, workplace, and in
the society, must be occupied by men. This often results in women having no control over available
resources and in having no personal autonomy.

Subordination happens when the society is preventing or blocking the person from going up the ladder
because of his/her sex, by use of force or violence, or simply by being under the authority of one sex.

Gender Stereotyping

Refers to the giving of automatic labels, characteristics or roles to men and women that are dictated by
culture and society. It is the society’s perceptions and value systems that instill an image of women as
weak, dependent, subordinate, indecisive, emotional and submissive. Men, on the other hand, are
strong, independent, powerful, dominant, decisive and logical. These are also un-examined images,
ideas or beliefs associated with a particular group that have become fixed in a person’s mind and are not
open to change. For example, women’s roles, functions and abilities are seen to be primarily tied to the
home.

Gender Division of Labor

The allocation of differential tasks, roles, responsibilities and activities to women and men according to
what is considered socially and culturally appropriate.
Multiple Burden

A situation referring to the heavy workload of women and the many, overlapping tasks involved, which
if computed in terms of hours would total more than 24 hours. It also refers to the assumption and
performance of several tasks and responsibilities of women. For example, even if women hold jobs
outside the home, essentially putting in the same working hours as the men, and participants in
community activities, housework and child family care are still primarily considered as a woman’s
concern.

Gender Based Violence (GBV)

GBV is an umbrella term for any harm that is perpetrated against a person’s will as a result of power
inequities based on gender roles. GBV includes the following: physical abuse, psychological abuse,
economic abuse, rape, sexual harassment, other forms of sexual violations, dowry-related violence, and
any discriminatory cultural practices perpetrated against women and girl children such as female genital
mutilation.
Gender and Development Implementation in the Army

Philippine Army GAD Policies

Gender mainstreaming requires that the entire PA commits to the promotion of gender equality in its
plans and processes. The following are the efforts of the organization to promote GAD:

 Utilization of Female Line Personnel in the Philippine Army

 Implementing Guidelines on GAD Focal Point System in the Philippine Army
 Utilization of the GAD Budget
 Mainstreaming Gender in the Philippine Army
 Implementing Guidelines for National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAPWPS)
 Gender Sensitivity Training Program
 Gender-Fair Language

Reasons why the Philippine Army should engage in GAD

Gender Equality is a primary concern which is mandated by international and national laws.

 Significant implications on military operations, strategic, operational and tactical levels, in and
outside the organization, in combatant and noncombatant situations, and in war and peacetime.

The underlying principles of GAD are founded on Human Rights.

 The government and its instrumentalities, including the AFP, along with civil society and
business sectors, pursue human rights through their respective organizational mandates, and
legal and institutional mechanisms. The World Conference on Human Rights states that “In time
of war and peace, an environment that maintains and promotes human rights, democracy and
the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the principles of non-threat or use of
force against territorial integrity or political independence or respect of sovereignty as set forth
in the Charter of UN is an important factor for the advancement of women”.

Existence of biases in women and men.

 Constraints the full and equal development of both sexes.

Gender and armed conflict is a major critical concern.

Identified in the 1995 UN Platform of Action on Women. Further, the Geneva Convention for the
Protection of Civilians in Time of War (1949) and Additional Protocols of 1977 provide that women shall
especially be protected against any attack on their honor, in particular against humiliating and degrading
treatment, rape, enforced prostitution or any form of indecent acts.

Men have important roles and stakes in advancing gender equality.

 As fathers, sons, partners, spouses and workers as well as advocates of rights, and guardians of
territories and people.
Gender equality is an indicator of good governance and a requisite for sustainable human
development.

 These are values and objectives pursued by the military especially in “winning the peace” and
becoming a “professional army worthy of national pride”.