by Carolyn Israel-Sobritchea, Ph.

 Whats development?

Whats gender?
How does gender create gender issues? Whats GAD? Why us? Where do we go from here?

 Development is about attaining a full and satisfying life for all Attaining a full and satisfying life for all is a shared responsibility
of everyone-regardless of age, sex, religion, ethnicity or class

of the government as duly mandated authority of all individuals and entities who benefit from development or are affected by the lack of it

For individuals the performance of this responsibility requires:

the capacity to do; and the capacity to be

The capacity to do means the ability or power

to do productive and satisfying work
to have control over ones income and benefit from it to enjoy nature and the natural environment to procreate and rear children

to care for others

to travel in search for opportunities

The capacity to be means the right or opportunity

to be knowledgeable and skillful
to be well-nourished to be confident of own abilities to be comfortable with achievements, independence and power

Women, have unique stakes, roles and insights to share in order to attain development objectives such as in:
sustaining the environment managing population growth imparting values that have profound on human progress and economic development

For governments, the responsibility to promote the attainment of a better life for all means - helping people develop their abilities and individual strengths Protecting peoples rights and creating opportunities for the development of peoples abilities and individual strengths

Removing all legal and cultural barriers to the attainment of full human development

We are mandated by international

treaties/commitments, laws and policies

Gender issues affect all of us.

instead of solving them, we all contribute to their perpetuation.

But

GENDER EQUALITY in rights applies to the right to

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Own land; Manage property; Equality in voice; Conduct business Travel Be free from physical harm and violence; and Be free from security risks (risk of domestic violence and conflict, physical and cultural isolation and marginalization

Source: NCRFW 2003. Mainstreaming Gender in Development Planning Framework and Guidelines.

 what makes one masculine or feminine socially determined; culturally defined changes across time changes across places and cultures learned behavior

Problems that women and men experience as a result of societies definitions and expectations about feminine and masculine roles, rights and capacities

Because of these, women and men are boxed into situations --which constrain their
capacity to do and to be

and hinder their potential to attain a full and satisfying life

 39.2% of the countrys 80.2 million population are estimated to live below the poverty line; Its population growth rate is 2.3% annually, considered high by world standards as the ideal rate is around 1% a year; Under conditions of poverty and high population growth, women become a vulnerable group due to their multiple social and responsibilities;

 More than one-third of employed women among the bottom 30% of rural families were unpaid family workers doing agriculture, fishery and forestry work which was also not officially accounted for nor recognized; Male employment rate was higher at the national level at 92.1% compared with women at 90.6%;

 As child bearers and homemakers, they carry much of the burden of poverty affecting families and households; As traditional caregivers, they assume primary responsibility not only for the care of children but for other members of the family or household such as the sick, the disables and the elderly; and As economic providers, they are tasked to ensure their families economic security and well-being.

 Social Cost of Industrialization

Prostitution
Breakdown of Family ties Rights & Welfare of Women

Rights & Welfare of Women

Promotion of Tribal Rights & Welfare Narrowing the Gap Between the Rich and Poor Preservation of Peace and Order

is about recognizing that gender biases impede development because:

they prevent people from attaining their full potentials (which will enable them to become effective contributors to development)

GAD is about being faithful to the principle that

Fairness and equity demands that everyone in society, whether male or female has the right to the same opportunities to achieve a full and satisfying life.

 focuses on gender relations

designs developing programs to respond to gender issues commits to the goal of gender equality and womens empowerment