NHADEN D.

BENITEZ 2ND YEAR / BEED2A

REFLECTION

Chapter 6: Global Gender Issues

The reading materials gave us an insight about the global gender issues we
faced today that could be traced back from ancient times. Unfair treatment of
individuals based on their gender is deeply rooted throughout the course of
human history. Gender-based injustices were linked to the uneven divisions of
power, opportunity, and rights among men and women. Nowadays, women
and some other marginalized groups still experience injustices but there are
laws created to provide for their protection.

Human rights refers to the rights to justice and fair treatment of an individual
regardless of his or her gender, educational attainment, and social status.
Human rights is fundamental and a necessity for it provides fairness and
equality in the society. Children and members of the LGBT community were
also a subjects of human rights. Women's struggle on having a fair treatment
and opportunities is traced back to the Spanish colonial era. Women also play
a vital role during the revolution to attain freedom against the Spaniards. They
have created organizations to help other women and aid the katipuneros and
also to spread awareness that women and men were equal. Several laws were
created to protect women and children against abuse. According to the
module there were three types of domestic abuse a women may experience
which is the physical, emotional or psychological and economic abuse.
Physical abuse refers to the infliction of pain and physical injury that may
become life-threatening. Emotional or psychological abuse involves threats,
manipulation and intimidation. Economic abuse is the deprivation of one's
right to financial independence. There are several more kinds of violence
against women and children such as rape, prostitution, sexual harassment,
human trafficking, female genital mutilation and forced marriage. To aid and
protect women and children against these abuses, eighteen laws together
with an article on the Philippine constitution were created by the Philippine
government.

The module provides information about the struggles faced by LGBT

community in the society. They also experience discrimination, harassment
and threats. There were 4 types of abuse and discrimination they faced that
highlight their struggles. These were named as homophobia, marginalization
and social exclusion, psychological distress and hate and crime violence.
Homophobia refers to the fear or agression against gay people.
Marginalization and social exclusion on LGBT may result in attempting
suicide,being ignored and isolated, dropping out of school, lack of family and
social support, leaving home and family, migration to other place to seek
better livelihood and acceptance, being unable to find regular jobs, and being
unable to access various social services. Psychological distress includes
experiencing casual homophobic comments, childhood sexual abuse,
harassment of neighbors, no protection against discrimination at work,
physical violence and discrimination, prejudice, rejection and verbal
harassment. Hate and crime violence or also known as biased-motivated
crimes occurs whenever a perpetrator targets a victim because of the groups
or communities they're involvedbor a part of. LGBT movement has always
been very supportive in making a change in the society. These movements
aim to give the LGBT organizations for their specific needs, including
psychosocial support, political representation, sexual health, representation in
sports events, religious and spiritual needs.

Chapter 7 INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL POLICY RESPONSES ON

GENDER ISSUES

The module provides information on the International and local policy

responses on gender issues to spread awareness to students on this matter.
The UN general assembly in 2015 presented 17 SDGs ( Sustainable
development goal) that should be attained by 2030. Goal 1( no poverty)
aiming to end poverty in all forms and to provide both men and women an
equal rights to economic resources especially the poor and the vulnerable.
Goal 2 ( Zero Hunger) aims to give and ensure access to safe and sufficient
food all year round to all people including infants. Goal 3( Ensure healthy lives
and promote well being for all at all ages) aims to reduce the mortality rate of
newborns and children under 5 years of age. This also aims to reduce the
number of deaths by hazard, contamination and accidents. Goal 4 (Quality
education) aims to provide quality education be it primary, secondary or
technical and vocational to all genders. Goal 5 ( achieve gender equality and
empower all women and girls) aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination
against women and girls anywhere. This also aims to give women an equal
opportunities in leadership and economic resources. Goal 6 (Ensure access to
water and sanitation for all) aims to reduce water pollution due to bad
economics and poor infrastructures for a cleaner water supply. Goal 7 (Ensure
access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy) ensures
universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. Goal
8(promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and
decent work for all) will allow people to have quality jobs that stimulate the
economy while not harming the environment. Goal 9 ( build resilient
infrastructure , promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation)
aims to empower communities in many countries to growth in productivity
and income by investment in infrastructures. Goal 10(reduce inequality within
and among countries) aims to reduce the inequality by creating universal
policies in principle and aims to pay attention to the needs of the
disadvantaged and marginalized population. Goal 11( make cities
inclusive,safe, resilient and sustainable) promotes efficient urban planning
and management practices to deal with the challenges brought by
urbanization. Goal 12(ensure sustainable consumption and production
patterns) promotes efficient and sustainable consumption and production of
energy, infrastructures and providing access to basic needs of everyone. Goal
13 (take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact) aims to
strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, every country
adopted the Paris Agreement at the COD 21 in Paris. The Paris Agreement is
apact among countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Goal 14
(conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources) aims
to reduce marine pollution of all kinds. Goal 15 (sustainably manage forests,
combat desertification, Halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity
loss) aims to conserve and restore ecosystem and stop deforestation and
desertification. Goal 16( promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies) aims
to reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. Goal 17
(revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development) aims to
strengthen partnership between governments for a sustainable development.
Aside from UN' SDGs , there are several platforms promoting equality and
empowerment on women and they are as follows;

The convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against

women or CEDAW is an organization adopted by UN in 1979. The convention
defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an
agenda for national action to end such discrimination. The Beijing platform for
action (BPfA) is a landmark document for advancing the rights of women and
gender equality worldwide agreed during the 4th world conference on women
in 1995. Nairobi forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women
marked the first introduction of lesbian rights in an official UN meeting and a
turning point on the issues of violence against women. The UN Women or the
United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women
also laid out 12 areas of concern that is also identified as critical areas for
women( this includes economy, health, education, empowerment etc.).
Women in Development (WID), Women and Development (WAD), and Gender
and Development (GAD) are theoretical approaches use to aim understanding
and addressing women's issues.

In the Philippines there are also a number of policy responses addressing

gender equality concerns. R.A 7192 also known as "Women in Development
and Nation Building Act" recognizes the role of women in nation building and
ensures the fundamental equality of men and women.

Executive order 348 institutionalized the integrate women's concerns in the

development process as part of the country's compliance with the UN-CEDAW
and the Forward Looking strategies for the advancement of women (FLS).
Executive order 273 or The Philippine plan for gender responsive development
for 1995-2025 were a series of initiatives meant to provide Filipino women a
more active and participatory role in the development process. The Magna
Carta of Women is a comprehensive human rights law that seeks to eliminate
discrimination against women by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and
promoting the rights of Filipino women

The last part of the module tackled the gender analysis in cooperatives. The
lesson explains the gender analysis which is the foundation for gender
mainstreaming. Gender equality is attained when women and men, girls and
boys have equal rights. It does not mean that women and men become the
same but it means that both have an equal opportunity to participate in policy-
making, management and administration of the cooperative to attain their
goals. Cooperatives should address and aim to identify and overcome the
causes of gender gaps in groups or society that brings inequality. This is
crucial so that everyone could be aware of each gender's specific needs for
the sake of achieving the goal of the community.