1

2
3
Gender
Sensitivity
5
Introduction
● Schools and homes are the basic sources of development of the
understanding of gender and gender relations. The influence of teachers
and educators as change agents in this area cannot be underestimated.
Educationist, academicians and faculty greatly influence gender
socialization and mould gender roles of students, thus having impact on
quality of life and power distribution.
● Since we are concerned with how teachers act
as change agents on prevailing gender issues
in contemporary society, it is essential that
the concept of gender and its sensitization be
clarified for further understanding.

6
Terms Used Related
to Gender Sensitivity
● “The term gender was first used as a phrase, “the social relations of
gender,” which later evolved simply into gender. The social relations
of gender seek to explain sharing, decision making, division of
labor, and return to labor within the household and in society,
among others.
● It focuses on the attributes acquired in
the process of socialization: our self
and group definitions, our sense of
appropriate roles, values and
behaviors, and above all, expected and
acceptable interactions in relationships
between women and men.” (A Handbook on
Gender and Development Training, Book 2, 2003).

8
● When we talk about gender sensitivity we mean gender
awareness which is more analytical and critical since it clarifies
issues about gender disparities and gender issues. Gender
sensitivity pertains to one’s effort to show how gender shapes
the roles of women and men in society, including their role in
development, and how it affects relations between them.
● For people to become advocates of
gender sensitivity, they first have to
heighten their awareness of gender
concerns and be willing to respond to
gender issues.

9
How To:
Promote Gender
Awareness in Parents
and Teachers
 Curriculum
Text

Allocation Guidelines
of Budget 01 by Gender
Experts

02
07
Gender Use of
Awareness Gender

03
06
Monitoring
Sensitive
05 Vocabulary
04

School-Parent Educational
Partnerships Policies
 Curriculum
Text 01
Allocation Guidelines
of Budget 01 by Gender
Experts
It is important that all text,
07

02
Gender Use of
reading material and books
Awareness Gender be free of notion of gender

03
06

Monitoring
Sensitive inequality as bias is
Vocabulary
05 04 embedded in textbooks,
lessons, and teachers’
School-Parent Educational interactions with students.
Partnerships Policies
 Curriculum
Text 02
Allocation Guidelines
of Budget 01 by Gender
Experts
There’s a need for
07

02
Gender Use of
development of criteria of
Awareness Gender meeting gender sensitive
06

03
Monitoring
Sensitive guidelines. These needs
Vocabulary
05 04 are to be set down by
gender experts.
School-Parent Educational
Partnerships Policies
 Curriculum
Text 03
Allocation Guidelines
of Budget 01 by Gender
Experts
Gender neutral language
07

02
Gender Use of
needs to be promoted at all
Awareness Gender levels and throughout the

03
06

Monitoring
Sensitive institutions for students,
Vocabulary
05 04 staff, and faculty and
management levels.
School-Parent Educational
Partnerships Policies
 Curriculum
Text 04
Allocation Guidelines
of Budget 01 by Gender
Experts
All policies, programs, and
07

02
Gender Use of
interventions need to be
Awareness Gender gender-sensitive.

03
06

Monitoring
Sensitive
05 Vocabulary
04

School-Parent Educational
Partnerships Policies
 Curriculum
Text 05
Allocation Guidelines
of Budget 01 by Gender
Experts
Parent partnership needs to
07

02
Gender Use of
be strengthened to identify
Awareness Gender and address gender issues

03
06

Monitoring
Sensitive in homes and in educational
Vocabulary
05 04 institutions.

School-Parent Educational
Partnerships Policies
 Curriculum
Text 06
Allocation Guidelines
of Budget 01 by Gender
Experts
Gender sensitivity progress
07

02
Gender Use of
must be constantly
Awareness Gender reviewed by gender experts

03
06

Monitoring
Sensitive and steps should be taken
Vocabulary
05 04 to sustain the same.

School-Parent Educational
Partnerships Policies
 Curriculum
Text 07
Allocation Guidelines
of Budget 01 by Gender
Experts
Educational authorities and
07

02
Gender Use of
schools must be provided
Awareness Gender with a suitable budget to

03
06

Monitoring
Sensitive promote and sustain the
Vocabulary
05 04 gender sensitive agenda.

School-Parent Educational
Partnerships Policies
08 Institu
ti o
Group nalization
s in A o
cadem f Special C
ic Set ommi
ting ttee/

09 Role of G
Governm
overnmen
ental Org
t & Non-
anization

10 Gender Sensitive
Organizational Cu
lture

11 Commitment from Senior

Leadership/Government

12 Role of Media
08 In order to promote gender-friendly and safe
08
09
Institu
ti o
Group nalization
s in A

Role of G
Governm
o
cadem f Special C
ic Set

overnmen
ental Org
ting
ommi

t & Non-
anization
ttee/

environment for children it is important to

institutionalize special committees such as: 10 Gender Sensitive
Organizational Cu
lture
• Committee for preparing and implementing

•
Code of Ethics at workplace
Gender interest committee
11 Commitment from Senior
Leadership/Government
• Sexual harassment committee, and Child
12
text. Insert
This is a sampleMe
Ro le of dia
Abuse committee your desired text here.
09
Governmental and non-governmental
08
09
Institu
ti o
Group nalization
s in A

Role of G
Governm
o
cadem f Special C
ic Set

overnmen
ental Org
ting
ommi

t & Non-
anization
ttee/

organizations can play a pivotal role in

promoting gender equality.
10 Gender Sensitive
Organizational Cu
lture
The need to join hands to meet the
challenges of minimizing gender
discrimination and promoting gender equality 11 Commitment from Senior
Leadership/Government
at all levels.

12 Role of Media
10
Organizational change needs to be
08
09
Institu
ti o
Group nalization
s in A

Role of G
Governm
o
cadem f Special C
ic Set

overnmen
ental Org
ting
ommi

t & Non-
anization
ttee/

institutionalized by promoting gender

balanced staff, gender sensitive government
structure, equal valuing of women and men’s 10 Gender Sensitive
Organizational Cu
lture
working styles etc.

11 Commitment from Senior

Leadership/Government

12 Role of Media
11
Gender fair practices are effective when top
08
09
Institu
ti o
Group nalization
s in A

Role of G
Governm
o
cadem f Special C
ic Set

overnmen
ental Org
ting
ommi

t & Non-
anization
ttee/

leadership supports gender equity and

10
equality measures and also effectively Gender Sensitive
communicates the organizations commitment Organizational Cu
lture
to gender equality.

11 Commitment from Senior

Leadership/Government

12 Role of Media
12
Media constantly reinforces the traditional
08
09
Institu
ti o
Group nalization
s in A

Role of G
Governm
o
cadem f Special C
ic Set

overnmen
ental Org
ting
ommi

t & Non-
anization
ttee/

stereotypes of women and men and thus

needs to address and promote gender
equality by using a gender lens sensitively.
10 Gender Sensitive
Organizational Cu
lture

11 Commitment from Senior

Leadership/Government

12 Role of Media
Teacher Training Educational Gender Gender
Programs System Sensitivity Audit
Counseling

13 15 17 19

14 16 18 20

Creation of Gender Gender Extra Fringe

Gender Responsive Training/ Mainstreaming Benefits
School Sensitization
Sessions
 13 Teacher Training Programs
All teachers should be gender-sensitized.
Male teachers most especially must be
exposed to gender sensitivity trainings.

1 3 5 7

2 4 6 8
 Creation of Gender

14 Responsive School
A gender responsive school is one where the
academic, social and physical environment, and
its surrounding community take into account the
specific need of both girls and boys.

1 3 5 7

2 4 6 8
 15 Educational System
Educational System needs to be gender-
sensitive and gender-friendly for girls and boys.
Moreover the leadership also needs to be
granted using a gender lens.

1 3 5 7

2 4 6 8
 Gender Training/

16 Sensitization Sessions
Gender trainings must be provided for
parents, teachers, staff, administrators,
and local officials.

1 3 5 7

2 4 6 8
 17 Gender Sensitivity Counseling
Gender sensitivity counseling must
be made available for students, staff,
teachers, and parents.

1 3 5 7

2 4 6 8
 18 Gender Mainstreaming
In order to address gender concerns
holistically, it is essential to mainstream
gender in all institutions of society.

1 3 5 7

2 4 6 8
 19 Gender Audit
Gender audit of institutions should be carried
out by gender experts to review curriculum,
policies, programs, interventions etc.

1 3 5 7

2 4 6 8
 20 Extra Fringe Benefits
Benefits must be offered in rural
areas to promote girl education
e.g. scholarships, food packs etc.

1 3 5 7

2 4 6 8
34
Gender Mainstreaming

35
● Gender mainstreaming is formulating a set of procedures,
techniques, and strategies so that gender issues can be
recognized on a sustained basis.

● For teachers, gender

mainstreaming is integrating girls'
and boys’ concerns and
experiences into the design,
implementation, monitoring
and evaluation of school
policies, programs and project
in all political, economic, and
social agenda. (A Handbook on Gender and
Development Training, Book 1, 2003).
36
Institutions should adopt gender mainstreaming so that
gender sensitivity will prevail. This can only be made possible
if the following are practiced:

● 1. Train teachers in gender

equality education to have it
actualized more effectively at
school sites. This training raises
the awareness of teachers and
trains them to address prevailing
gender and social issues in
academic settings and in the
society at large.
37
● 2. Gender analysis should be conducted through the
curriculum materials, teaching and learning processes,
school structures and culture.

● 3. School-parent partnership on
gender issues should be
strengthened by making the
parents, teachers, administrators
and local officials aware of their
legal obligations and children’s
rights.
38
● 4. Gender sensitivity training
needs to be mandatory for all
teacher training programs,
certificate and academic courses.
All teachers should be gender
sensitized and must be exposed to
gender sensitivity trainings.

39
● 5. The key officials of both the
DepEd and the CHED from the top
echelon down to the lowest level
of school managers should
undergo a series of gender
sensitivity training sessions in
the form of special training
program on gender sensitivity,
zonal gender and development
training program, and trainers’
training on gender sensitivity
among others. 40
● 6. The authors, publishers,
Board on Textbooks and other
concerned agencies
stereotyping and continue to
review existing textbooks
and other manuals in the
elementary and secondary
levels for sex biases and
stereotyping.

41
● 7. Concerned school officials
should review policies for
possible discriminatory
clauses on student admission
requirements, recruitment and
selection, promotions, access, to
training and scholarships and
other human resource
development activities to ensure a
gender-fair school community.
42
Roles Teachers Should
Play to Address Gender
Sensitivity Issues

43
● Gender sensitivity issues should ultimately improve the
quality of education of women and men alike. A sage once
said, “Whether we are conscious or not, education is
the force that will, more than any other, shape the
world’s future”.
● This is a very great mission that
every institution should claim. The
history of any educational system
in the world is started and
continued with education at the
forefront, simply because it
develops mankind and
perpetuates all nations.
44
● Educators in all levels from the
pre-school to the graduate school
should play the roles expected of
them to enjoy a gender-fair
society where women and men
share equally in responsibilities,
power, authority and decision
making.

45
What roles should
teachers play to
address gender
sensitivity issues?
46
● 1. Teachers should understand
gender roles and expectations to
help them analyze their own
differential behavior towards boys
and girls. This would help the
teachers to avoid gender
discrimination in their personal and
their professional lives.

47
● 2. Teachers should attend gender trainings so that they
can facilitate the change to be brought about in the
curriculum materials such as syllabus, modules,
instructional aides and others.

● 3. Teacher should cooperate with

government and non-government
organizations to meet the
challenges of minimizing gender
discrimination and promoting
gender equality

48
● 4. Teacher should strive to work
hand in hand with school
administrators so that gender
sensitive organizational culture will
be institutionalized by promoting
gender balanced staff, gender
sensitive governance structure,
equal valuing of women and men’s
working styles, etc.

49
● 5. Teachers should be active and
decisive in promoting a gender
responsive school where the
academic, social and physical
environment and its surrounding
community take into account the
specific needs of both boys and girls.
The academic delivery, including
teaching methodologies, teaching
and learning materials, classroom
interaction and management of
academic processes is gender
responsive. 50
● 6. Teachers should conduct
researches on gender sensitivity
issues to properly address
inequalities in discrimination between
men and women. With viable
researches, proposals can be
formulated which can be actualized
into formal researches so that
findings may be used toward the
elimination of sexism/gender bias in
educational content methods.
51
● 7. Teachers should find appropriate time during
assemblies, conferences, meetings and the like to raise
gender issues and concerns.
● 8. Teachers should initiate
information dissemination
campaign on gender-fair
education and include in school
papers articles which discuss
about gender sensitivity issues to
raise the level of awareness or
consciousness and generate
greater support in addressing
gender-specific issues. 52
● 9. Above all, teachers should treat
every boy and every girl equally in
all aspects and be strong
proponent of democracy which
caters to equality.

53
54
55
56
Prepared By:
Risha Vee A. Tutor
57