Module 10

(C0ntinuation)
Gender Discrimination
Introduction:

Here is an overview of the differences between gender inequality and

discrimination, the impact on women and girls, and action steps individuals can
take to address these issues.

Gender discrimination describes the situation in which people are treated differently
simply because they are male or female, rather than on the basis of their individual skills
or capabilities.

What is gender discrimination?

Gender discrimination is any unequal treatment, including privilege and priority, on the
basis of gender.

What is gender inequality?

Gender inequality is discrimination on the basis of sex or gender causing one sex or
gender to be routinely privileged or prioritized over another.

Gender equality is a fundamental human right and that right is violated by gender based
discrimination. Gender disparity starts in childhood and are right now limiting the lifelong
potential of children around the world – disproportionately affecting girls.

Gender equality begins at home, and families are at the front lines of change. For the
next generation, the examples set at home by parents, care-givers and extended family
are shaping the way they think about gender and equality.

Fighting gender inequalitythrough the Philippines roots:

The Philippines had been hailed as one of the countries embracing gender
equality. The Global Gender Gap Report 2020 of the World Economic Forum ranked the
Philippines as the 16th on the index among the developed Scandinavian countries. The
International Labor Organization detailed that the Philippines is the 5th in having the
highest share of managers who are female.

The gender situation in the Philippines is characterized by sharp contradictions.It

graphically showcases samples of women’s advancement in politics, academic and
professional excellence, and even legislation. But this is contrasted by images of
prostituted women, battered wives, economically disadvantaged women and exploited
migrant workers. http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/philippinen/50069.pdf

Activity 1

By this time, you are about to learn more on gender discrimination and the
progress made over the decade to combat gender discrimination .

Kindly visit this link for viewingl.

SEXIST PROF Mocked FEMALE Student

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K-nSc8mV4w

Kindly visit this links for your perusal.

 Challenging gender discrimination: A how-to-guide
https://plan-international.org/girls-get-equal/calling-out-discrimination

ILO Action Plan for Gender Equality

https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---
gender/documents/publication/wcms_545491.pdf

Assessment:

As a student, how can you contribute in meeting the Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) by 2030 including on achieving gender equality and women’s
empowerment, obtaining decent work for all, and reducing inequality.

Assignment:
What is the difference between gender equity, gender equality and women’s
empowerment in health, education, economics and politics.

Reflection:
Choose one Filipino feminist film, and express your thoughts about the film,
explain what issues a writer touches upon, and share your impressions to the story.
https://zee.ph/5-filipino-films-that-continue-the-conversation-on-women-empowerment/

References:
Hoffman, R. (2021) . Gender discriminations. Retrieved from
https://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/gender-discriminations.html

International Labor Office, Geneve, ILO Action Plan for Gender Equality. Retrieved from
https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---
gender/documents/publication/wcms_545491.pdf

Sanchez, G.R. (2018). 10 ways to promote gender equality in daily life. New York
United States. Retrieve from
https://believe.earth/en/10-ways-to-promote-gender-equality-in-daily-life/
 Module 10
Gender Socialization
Learning outcome:

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Explain the influence of socialization on gender roles

Gender socialization refers to processes by which individuals (especially children

and adolescents) internalize gender norms. Internalization refers to a process of
learning what norms are, understanding why they are of value or make sense, and
accepting norms as one’s own.

Gender socialization is the process by which we learn our culture's gender-

related rules, norms, and expectations. The most common agents of gender
socialization—in other words, the people who influence the process—are parents,
teachers, schools, and the media. Through gender socialization, children begin to
develop their own beliefs about gender and ultimately form their own gender identity.

Lesson
What is gender socialization?
Gender socialization is the process of teaching individuals how to behave
according to gender roles. Gender roles are socially constructed ideas of what it means
to be a man or a woman.

Activity
Read the article entitled a Gender Socialization: Process, Agents, Impact, and
Examples
https://study.com/learn/lesson/gender-socialization.html

Reflection:
Watch the video with the title Socializationand answer the question below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-RvJQxqVQc&t=30s
What people and what institutions have made you who you are today. Explain

Assignment
Read the short story entitled Mystery girl in the window and answer the questions below
https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter5-socialization/1. What is
the Effects of child neglect?
2. What are some of the social problems that lead to child neglect?
 Lesson 11
Gender Discrimination
Last meeting
•we discussed about gender Socialization which is refers to
internalize gender norms.

•We are all influenced by gender.

•Gender norms (or rules) tell us what is appropriate for girls
and for boys, women and men to do in our society.
•Because of gender stereotypes, girls and women are often
less valued and have lower social status.
•Girls and women suffer most of the negative impact
of rigid gender norms and roles - they are more
likely to experience restrictions of their freedom and
mobility, they experience epidemic levels of violence
and harassment across the globe and have fewer
opportunities to choose how to live their lives.
•But boys and men suffer too.
•Ideas about what it means to be a man force boys and
men to behave in very limited ways which can harm
them.
•Negative masculinities encouraged in boys serve to
perpetuate the cycle of discrimination and inequality.
•Denying people the freedom to choose their path in life
because of their gender prevents them from fulfilling their
full potential.
•There is lots we can do to help build a more gender-equal
world.
•Understanding the deep roots of gender inequality and
challenging discrimination when we see it are the first steps.
Gender Discrimination
•Discrimination based on gender (or sex) is a
common civil rights violation that takes many
forms, including sexual harassment, pregnancy
discrimination, and unequal pay for women who
do the same jobs as men.
 What are the main issues of gender
discrimination?
8 Powerful Examples of Gender Discrimination
1. The Gender Gap. Developing and developed countries have faced this social issue,
although to varying degrees
2. Being Forbidden to Drive
3. Restrictions on Clothing
4. Not being Allowed to Travel
5. Honor Killing
6. Female Genital Mutilation
7. Female Infanticide
8. Lack of Legal Rights
1. The Gender Gap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVVDasLOKDk
•Developing and developed countries have faced this social
issue, although to varying degrees.
•Women in developed countries still face social hindrances
owing to the gender – wage gap – a phenomenon that will
still take 188 years to even up, according to the World
Economic Forum.
•Women also have fewer responsibilities and are given fewer
rewards for their work.
What is gender gap?
•The gender gap is the difference between women and
men as reflected in social, political, intellectual,
cultural, or economic attainments or attitudes.
•The Global Gender Gap Index aims to measure this
gap in four key areas: health, education, economics
and politics.

•So the gap in economics, for example, is the difference

between men and women when it comes to salaries, the
number of leaders and participation in the workplace.
•Education encompasses access to basic and
higher levels of education, while health looks at
life expectancy and politics examines the
difference between how men and women are
represented within decision-making
organizations.
• Countries need to pay attention to the gender gap not only because
such inequality is inherently unfair.

• But also because numerous studies suggest greater gender equality

leads to better economic performance.
2. Being Forbidden to Drive
•Across many conservative communities in Saudi Arabia, women
still face this major social bulwark.
•Despite it not being a law, women are still not allowed licenses
and can only exercise the right to go out in public if accompanied
by a chaperon.
•The Arab Spring in 2011 resulted in a deluge of rallies and
protests among women. Even though society is becoming more
progressive, especially with regards to allowing women to
contribute to the labor force, it will take further social reform to
overcome this hindrance.
3. Restrictions on Clothing
•Upon the pretext that women should not ‘flaunt their
beauty,’ women in many conservative communities have to
wear the complete body burqa, coupled with loose-fitting
clothes when they are out in public as an interpretative
exegesis of the Sharia Law.
•Many world leaders like U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May
have spoken against the issue which is very pervasive in
Saudi Arabia, Gambia, Sudan and North Korea.
4. Not being Allowed to Travel
•In some extreme cases, women are not allowed to leave the
country without the consent of their husbands.
•Up until the age of 40, single women are required to ask
their father for permission.
•For example, Niloufar Ardalan, the Captain of the Iranian
Women’s Soccer team was banned from taking part in the
Women’s Futsal Championship of Malaysia in 2015 by her
husband as it was in violation of Islamic Law.
5. Honor Killing
•This is a deplorable practice that revolves around the
hidebound idea that girls have to uphold the supposed
‘cachet’ of their families and abide by the patriarchal
demands of the society.
•Honor killing is largely attributed to the poor education
system and ineffective government legislation among rural
communities.
•Consequently, Qandeel Balcoh was killed by her brother
Waseem Ali in 2016 because she had supposedly brought
dishonor upon her family because of how she expressed
herself on social media.
6. Female Genital Mutilation
•This problem is prevalent in Sub-Saharan African countries,
Egypt and other countries in South Asia due to lack of sex
education and awareness.
•The practice stems from a fundamentalist cultural ideology
still held by many traditional communities and based on
ensuring a girl’s fidelity before marriage.
•It is one of the very dire examples of gender discrimination
and is a human rights violation.
•It results in severe pain, difficulties in urination and spread of
infection.
7. Female Infanticide
•Unfortunately, this practice is rather prevalent among rural
communities in India, Pakistan and China.
•For example, China’s one-child policy has contributed to this
issue.
•Boys are thought to galvanize the financial security of the
family, while women are treated as burdens and often seen
only as child-bearers and caretakers of the household.
•In some regions, there are as low as 300 girls for every 1,000
boys. Moreover, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save Girls, Teach
Girls) in India, is a social reform initiative that is cracking down
on related issues like child marriage.
8. Lack of Legal Rights
•This form of gender discrimination is ubiquitous in many countries.
•From child custody and rape laws, this broad term encompasses
many aspects where women are not given enough legal counsel.
•Spousal rape is not criminalized in many countries and complaints
lodged with the police never materialize.
•In many countries in the Middle East, divorce laws are very weak.
•The evidence is often not admissible in court and eyewitnesses are
always required for cases to be considered.
 Module 10 (Cont. 2)
Gender Inequality

1. Establish the struggles and experience of gender inequalities and discrimination.

Introduction

Debates about gender have existed in both print and daily life for generations, and
heated discussions about the state of relations between men and women show little
sign of decreasing. In the early decades of the twenty-first century, issues about gender
and sexual identity have become the subjects of increasingly complex debates, whilst
the actual lived experience of gender can still be defined by rigid and often non-
negotiable assumptions derived from biological difference. Debates about gender have
existed in both print and daily life for generations, and heated discussions about the
state of relations between men and women show little sign of decreasing. In the early
decades of the twenty-first century, issues about gender and sexual identity have
become the subjects of increasingly complex debates, whilst the actual lived experience
of gender can still be defined by rigid and often non-negotiable assumptions derived
from biological difference.

Discussions about gender exist universally; it is the nature of the debate, and certainly
the degree to which it is a matter of public debate, that differ. But apart from these
debates – about the implications of biological difference – there is a considerable
degree of consensus that women, both born and made, have less access to power and
privilege than men. Hence, although we speak of gender inequality which t refers to
those various social inequalities which are more often experienced by women than men.
These inequalities can take in many forms and are mainly follows:

Inequality in Education. In many traditional societies, girls are prevented from

attaining their full potential because of lower priority placed on educating daughters
(who marry and leave the family) and the lower status of girls and women in general.
Families may also have concerns about the school fees, girls being taught by male
teachers and girls’ safety away from home. Governments and communities have begun
to break down these barriers, however, because of overwhelming evidence of the
benefits of educating girls. Few investments have as large a payoff as girls’ education.
Household surveys in developing countries have consistently shown that women with
more education have smaller, healthier and better-educated families. The linkages are
clear: Educated women are more likely to take care of their health, desire fewer children
and educate them well, which, in turn, makes it more likely their children will survive and
thrive into adulthood. Research by the World Bank and other organizations has shown
that increasing girls’ schooling boosts women’s wages and leads to faster economic
growth than educating only boys. Moreover, when women earn more money, they are
more likely to invest it in their children and households, enhancing family wealth and
well-being. Other benefits of women’s education captured in studies include lower levels
of HIV infection, domestic violence and harmful practices toward women, such as
female genital cutting and bride burning.
Inequality in Workplace. Jobs can bring gains for women, their families, businesses,
and communities. Jobs boost self-esteem and pull families out of poverty. Yet gender
disparities persist in the world of work. Trends suggest that women’s labor force
participation worldwide over the last two decades has stagnated, declining from 57 to 55
percent global lit is estimates that that men are nearly twice as likely as women to have
full-time jobs. Female entrepreneurs typically operate smaller firms and in less profitable
sectors. Female employees are more likely to work in temporary and part-time jobs, are
less likely to be promoted, and are concentrated in occupations and sectors with lower
barriers to entry. Women and girls also do the vast majority of unpaid care and
housework.

Inequality in Political Representation. Around the world, women’s lack of

representation in government, especially in high-level executive and legislative bodies,
limits their influence over governance and public policies. Arguably, women’s
participation in decision making is essential for ensuring their equality and rights. Where
women have participated actively in public policy, they have been able to raise the
visibility of women’s issues and work toward ending gender discrimination. But women
have made slow progress in the political arena, even while making impressive gains in
other areas such as education, employment and health. Women’s representation in
legislative bodies has increased in most parts of the world, but it is still at a low level. In
1990, the United Nations called for women to hold a “critical mass” of 30 percent of
parliamentary seats — a level believed to be sufficient to bring about change in national
politics. Twenty years later, only 26 countries out of 186 reached or exceeded the 30
percent mark of women’s representation in the single or lower house of parliament,
according to the International Parliamentary Union. The low proportion of women in
political decision making positions reflects men’s historical advantages in electoral
systems and long-standing inequalities between men and women in society. At home,
school, the workplace and elsewhere, girls and women typically have fewer
opportunities than their male counterparts to acquire policy and leadership skills. The
political arena may be least amenable to increased diversity and gender equality
because it is often informal and subject to the rules of the “old-boy network.”

Economic Inequality. Women constitute a majority of the poor and are often the
poorest of the poor. The societal disadvantage and inequality they face because they
averty is a gendered experience — addressing it requires a gender analysis of norms
and values, the division of assets, work and responsibility, and the dynamics of power
and control between women and men in poor households. In most societies, gender
norms define women’s role as largely relegated to the home, as mother and caretaker,
and men’s role as responsible for productive activities outside the home. These norms
influence institutiore women shapes their experience of poverty differently from that of
men, increases their vulnerability, and makes it more challenging for them to climb out
of poverty. In other words, ponal policies and laws that define women’s and men’s
access to productive resources such as education, employment, land and credit. There
is overwhelming evidence from around the world to show that girls and women are more
disadvantaged than boys and men in their access to these valued productive resources.
Girls and women in poor households bear a disproportionate share of the work and
responsibility of feeding and caring for family members through unpaid household work.
In poor rural households, for example, women’s work is dominated by activities such as
firewood, water and fodder collection, care of livestock and subsistence agriculture. The
drudgery of women’s work and its time-intensive demands contribute to women’s “time
poverty” and greatly limit poor women’s choice of other, more productive income
earning opportunities.

Assignment:

Gender inequality starts in the home | Matshepo Msibi | TEDxLytteltonWomen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqF5C0xU-f4
What is your opinion about gender inequality?
Do you agree with the speaker why?
Lesson 12
Module 10 (cont. 2)
Gender Inequality
•Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or
perceptions of individuals based on their gender.
•It arises from differences in socially constructed gender
roles.
•Gender systems are often dichotomous and hierarchical;
gender binary systems may reflect the inequalities that
manifest in numerous dimensions of daily life.
•Gender inequality stems from distinctions, whether
empirically grounded or socially constructed.
•Gender inequality remains a major barrier to human
development.
•Girls and women have made major strides since 1990, but
they have not yet gained gender equity.
•The disadvantages facing women and girls are a major
source of inequality.
•All too often, women and girls are discriminated against in
health, education, political representation, labour market,
etc.—with negative consequences for development of their
capabilities and their freedom of choice.
• The GII is an inequality index. It measures gender inequalities
in three important aspects of human development—
• 1. reproductive health, measured by maternal mortality ratio
and adolescent birth rates;
• 2. empowerment, measured by proportion of parliamentary
seats occupied by females and proportion of adult females and
males aged 25 years and older with at least some secondary
education; and
• 3. economic status, expressed as labour market participation
and measured by labour force participation rate of female and
male populations aged 15 years and older.
•The GII is built on the same framework as the IHDI—to
better expose differences in the distribution of
achievements between women and men.
•It measures the human development costs of
gender inequality.
•Thus the higher the GII value the more disparities
between females and males and the more loss to
human development.
Current Situation of Women in the Philippines
• The current situation of women in the Philippines is best described as
having sharp contradictions.
• The Filipino women may be considered as one of the most advanced
vis-à-vis the women in other countries, in the areas of academic,
professional, politics and legislation.
• However, they also suffer from domestic violence, economic
disadvantages, discrimination at the workplace, exploitation as
migrant workers, and as prostituted women and displacement
brought about by the intermittent wars in conflict affected areas.
• The Philippines is the only country in Asia to have closed the gender
gap on both education and health and is one of only six (6) in the
world to have done so.
• Moreover, the Philippines’ scores on political empowerment
continues to improve as its economic indicators such as estimated
income, labor force participation and income equality for similar
work.
• The Philippines is the only country in the world where women have
parity to men in senior management roles.
• However, despite the remarkable achievements above, thousands of
Filipino women suffer from sex and other gender related abuses
•While Filipino women suffer the same domestic violence,
and economic disadvantages all over the country, women in
some parts of Mindanao and other conflict affected areas in
the Philippines suffer more.
•As in most countries affected by displacement brought about
by armed conflict, women and children make up the great
majority of the displaced population in the Philippines, and
experience additional vulnerabilities.
•The intermittent wars affect women’s livelihood, health,
education and family life, among other things.
• The Philippines is one of the few countries in the world that has
adopted a GAD Policy Budget that requires all government agencies
(including local government units) to utilize at least five percent of
their respective total budgets for programs, activities and projects
that address the needs and uphold rights of women.
5 Top Issues Fueling Gender Inequality in the
Workplace
• 1. Unequal pay
• On average, American women are more educated than men.
For decades, women have earned more bachelor’s degrees,
master’s degrees, and doctorate degrees than men. Yet women
in the U.S. workforce still earn less than their male counterparts.
How much less?
• While some statistics show that women earn 80 percent of
what men are paid, new data published in November 2018
suggests the pay gap between men and women may even be
greater.
• According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research,
women earn 49 cents compared to every $1 men earn. Unlike
other research, the new data considers part-time workers and
women who have taken time off from work to shoulder the
demands of having and raising children or other family
obligations. More than half of women leave the workforce for at
least a year, which is twice the rate of men.
• To help curb this discrepancy, experts say new policies are
needed, including more paid parental leave, support for child
care, and other pro-family policies.
•2. Sexual harassment
•An obstacle that many women face in the workforce is
sexual harassment, little had been known, until now,
about how many women are subjected to this type of
mistreatment.
• A survey conducted in January 2018 by the nonprofit Stop
Street Harassment found 38 percent of women have
experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, and 81
percent reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment
in their lifetime, including verbal or physical assault.
• Data also links work-related factors to an increased risk of
sexual harassment or assault in the workplace. Women
restaurant workers who rely on tips for their main source of
income are twice as likely to experience sexual harassment.
Women lacking legal immigration status or having only a
temporary work visa are also at an increased risk of sexual
harassment or assault.
• 3. Racism
• Unfortunately, race seems to play a major role in how women
are treated and compensated in the workplace. The pay a
woman receives may vary depending on her race and ethnicity.
• Data from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that
Asian/Pacific Islander women have the highest median annual
earnings and are compensated $46,000. White women follow at
$40,000, while Native American and Hispanic women have the
lowest pay, earning $31,000 and $28,000 per year.
• Earnings also vary by race when compared to what men are
compensated.
• 4. Women are promoted less often than men
• Despite being more educated than men and constituting nearly
half of the workforce, women are promoted at work far less
often than men.

• According to Standard & Poor’s Index

• We know this because women make up less than 5 percent of
CEOs and less than 10 percent of women are top earners in the
S&P 500. Women of color are even worse off, as they are
nearly invisible on both S&P 500 boards and Fortune 500
boards.
• One reason cited for why more women aren’t moving into
higher-up executive-type roles is the lack of female role
models in the workplace.
•5. Fear of asking to be paid what you’re worth
•Women often struggle with asking for higher pay in a
job. While related to the issue of unequal pay, fear of
discussing money is a separate issue that affects
women more significantly than men.
•For women, negotiating pay is often viewed as being
greedy or desperate, which leads to hesitation when it
comes to asking for their worth in the workplace.
• New research from Glassdoor found women negotiated their
pay less often than their male counterparts. The poll found
nearly 70 percent of women accepted the salary they were
offered without negotiating, while only 52 percent of men did the
same.
 Gender Responsiveness
Module 11
(Continuation)

 Valuing equally the learning ability of both female and male students
 Facilitating both female and male students’ abilities to learn, progress equally,
and develop their potential to the fullest

Gender responsiveness refers to outcomes that reflect an understanding of gender

roles and inequalities and which make an effort to encourage equal participation and
equal and fair distribution of benefits.

Gender responsiveness is accomplished through gender analysis and gender

inclusiveness.

Gender-responsive education programs that promote increased access to, and

completion of, quality education for both girls and boys yield multiplier effects.

Research has shown that girls’ access to education results in positive intergenerational
outcomes in health, nutrition, infant mortality and income generation, among other
benefits.

GENDER IN EDUCATION PROGRAMMING

Gender refers to the socially constructed roles and relationships, personality traits,
attitudes, behaviors, values, relative power and influence that society ascribes to sexes.
Gender refers not simply to women or men, but to the relationship(s) between them.

Gender-Responsive Classrooms Need Gender-Sensitive Teachers

Teachers inspire and empower – they can also discourage and impose limitations,
regardless of whether they are making a conscious effort to do so. In Asia, where
millions of girls find themselves either on the sidelines of education or excluded entirely,
this role of teachers in perpetuating or actively combating gender inequality is especially
critical.
Activity:

Visit the film for viewing

Gender Responsive Budgeting | Nicole Farnsworth | TEDxPrishtinaWomen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA8L2oqDbHs

Assignmnet:

1. Is child marriage an example of gender inequality?

2. What are the reasons for child marriage

3. Why is it important to reduce the rates of child marriage

Reflection

What are the strategies to end violence against women and girls?

References

UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (2018). Gender responsive communication for
development: guidance, tools and resources . Retrieved from
https://www.unicef.org/rosa/media/1786/file

UNICEF. Child marriage. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-

marriage
 Lesson 10
Gender Socialization
Gender Socialization

•Gender socialization is the process by which

males and females are informed about the
norms and behaviors associated with their
sex.
•Society expects different attitudes and behaviors
from boys and girls.
•Gender Socialization is the tendency for boys and girls
to be socialized differently.
•Boys are raised to conform to the male gender role,
and girls are raised to conform to the female gender
or role.
•A Gender Role is a set of behaviors, attitudes, and
personality characteristics expected and encouraged
of a person based on his or her sex.
Influence of Biology
•Experts disagree on whether differences between
males and females result from innate, biological
differences or from differences in the ways that boys
and girls are socialized.
•In other words, experts disagree on whether
differences between men and women are due to
nature, nurture, or some combination of both.
 Example:
•There are some significant differences between female and
male brains.
•The language center in the male brain is usually in the
dominant (usually left) hemisphere, whereas females use
both hemispheres of the brain to process language.
•This may explain why females seem to have stronger
communication skills and relish interpersonal
communication more than males and why, on average,
girls learn to speak and read earlier than boys.
 Influence of Family
•Every culture has different guidelines about what is appropriate
for males and females, and family members may socialize babies
in gendered ways without consciously following that path.
•For example, in American society, the color pink is associated
with girls and the color blue with boys.
•Even as tiny babies, boys and girls are dressed differently,
according to what is considered “appropriate” for their respective
sexes.
•Even parents who strive to achieve a less “gendered” parenting
style unconsciously reinforce gender roles.
Example:
•The toys and games parents select for children are often
unconsciously intended to socialize them into the
appropriate gender roles.
•Girls receive dolls in an attempt to socialize them into future
roles as mothers.
•Since women are expected to be more nurturing than men,
giving a girl a doll teaches her to care for it and fosters the
value of caring for others.
•When boys receive dolls, they are likely to be action figures
designed to bring out the alleged aggressive tendencies in
boys.
 Influence in Education
•As children enter the educational system, traditional expectations
for boys and girls continue.
•In the past, much research focused on how teachers were
shortchanging girls in the classroom.
•Teachers would focus on boys, calling on them more and
challenging them.
•Because boys were believed to be more analytical, teachers
assumed they would excel in math and science.
•Teachers encouraged them to go into careers that require a lot of
math and science, such as computer science or engineering.
•Research from the late 1990s, however, indicates that the
current educational climate is failing boys.
•Boys are falling behind girls in school.
•The dropout rate for boys is rising.
•More boys are being diagnosed as learning disabled.
•The number of boys applying to college has declined.
•Some sociologists argue that current teaching methods favor
girls’ learning styles.
•Girls mature more quickly than boys and are able to focus and
concentrate in class more easily.
Example:
•Studies show that boys are more physically active
than girls. This difference is greater when children are
in elementary school.
•Boys may be less able to sit still during a lesson.
•They are often sent out of class as disruptive, which
puts them behind in the schoolwork and can reinforce
their problems in the classroom.
Influence on Career Choice
•If cultural expectations dictate that girls are more
compassionate and nurturing than boys, then parents,
teachers, and counselors will steer them toward fields that
require patience and concern for other people, such as
nursing, social work, or elementary school teaching.
•Though a girl who expresses a desire to become a nuclear
engineer would probably no longer be explicitly discouraged,
a boy with a similar goal would probably encounter more
encouragement.
Example:
•Women working in traditionally male occupations often hit a
glass ceiling, an invisible barrier that keeps women from
reaching executive positions.
•Men who work in traditionally female occupations, such as
nursing, social work, or elementary school teaching, are
often viewed as more qualified than women.
•These men often benefit from a glass escalator; they are paid
more and promoted more quickly than their female
counterparts.
•How did you develop your sense of identity, and
what makes you you?
•While psychologists generally focus on how the mind and
internal thought processes lead to the development of the
self, sociologists focus their study on the role of society
and social interaction in self-development.

•How did the environment and others shape who you are
today?

•When, and how, did you develop a concept of right and

wrong?
•Socialization is the lifelong process through which people
learn the values and norms of a given society.
•Socialization is not the same as socializing. Socializing is to
mix socially with others (i.e., family, friends, neighbors,
coworkers), whereas socialization is a process that may
include socializing as one element, but is a more complex,
multi-faceted and formative set of interactive experiences.
•It is also an adaptive lifelong learning experience, because
society is constantly changing, and because we may find
ourselves in new situations—such as a new job with
different norms and values, or in a different familial
role—such as that of parent or caregiver to an older
relative.
•Gender socialization: The process of educating and
instructing males and females as to the norms,
behaviors, values, and beliefs of group membership as
men or women.
•gender: The socio-cultural phenomenon of the division
of people into various categories such as male and
female, with each having associated roles,
expectations, stereotypes, etc.
•sex: Either of two main divisions (female or male) into
which many organisms can be placed, according to
reproductive function or organs.
•Sociologists and other social scientists generally
attribute many of the behavioral differences between
genders to socialization.
•Socialization is the process of transferring norms,
values, beliefs, and behaviors to group members.
•The most intense period of socialization is during
childhood, when adults who are members of a particular
cultural group instruct young children on how to behave
in order to comply with social norms.
•Gender is included in this process; individuals are
taught how to socially behave in accordance with their
assigned gender, which is assigned at birth based on
their biological sex (for instance, male babies are given
the gender of “boy”, while female babies are given the
gender of “girl”).
•Gender socialization is thus the process of educating
and instructing males and females as to the norms,
behaviors, values, and beliefs of group membership.
•Preparations for gender socialization begin even before the
birth of the child.
•One of the first questions people ask of expectant parents is
the sex of the child.
•This is the beginning of a social categorization process that
continues throughout life.
•Preparations for the birth often take the infant’s sex into
consideration (e.g., painting the room blue if the child is a
boy, pink for a girl).
•Today it is largely believed that most gender differences are
attributed to differences in socialization, rather than genetic
and biological factors.
•Gender stereotypes can be a result of gender socialization.
Girls and boys are expected to act in certain ways, and these
ways are socialized from birth by many parents (and society).
•For example, girls are expected to be clean and quiet, while
boys are messy and loud.
•As children get older, gender stereotypes become more
apparent in styles of dress and choice of leisure activities.
•Boys and girls who do not conform to gender stereotypes are
usually ostracized by same-age peers for being different.
•This can lead to negative effects, such as lower self-esteem.
Social Constructionism

•The social construction of gender comes out of the

general school of thought entitled social
constructionism.
•Social constructionism proposes that everything people
“know” or see as “reality” is partially, if not entirely,
socially situated.
•To say that something is socially constructed does not
mitigate the power of the concept.
•Take, for example, money. Money is a socially constructed
reality.
•Paper bills are worth nothing independent of the value
individuals ascribe to them. The dollar is only worth as much
as value as Americans are willing to ascribe to it. Note that
the dollar only works in its own currency market; it holds no
value in areas that don’t use the dollar. Nevertheless, the
dollar is extremely powerful within its own domain.
•Socialization is the process through which individuals learn
their culture and become fully human.
Activity:

• Watch the video

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-RvJQxqVQc&t=30s

Reflection:
• What people and what institutions, have made you who you are
today. Explain
Assignment

Socialization
• https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter5-soci
alization/
• Mystery girl in the window

• 1. What is the Effects of child neglect

• 2. What are some of the social problems that lead to child neglect?
 Module 11

GENDER SENSITIVITY and RESPONSIVENESS

Gender sensitivity is behavior that avoids discrimination by understanding and

accepting the multiple differences between men and women. It is a way of thinking that
fosters respect and compassion for others — regardless of these differences. Gender
sensitization among children teaches them to rely less on subconscious assumptions
and generalizations and more on individual personality traits. And like most lessons,
gender sensitivity starts at home. There are some simple things that any parent can do
to instill this conscientiousness

Gender sensitivity is the process by which people are made aware of

how gender plays a role in life through their treatment of others. Gender relations are
present in all institutions and gender sensitivity especially manifests in recognizing
privilege and discrimination around gender; women are generally seen as
disadvantaged in society. Gender sensitivity trainings are used to educate people,
usually employees, to become more aware of and sensitive to gender in their lives or
workplaces.

Sexism exists in women as well as in men; it has no respect for individual

aspirations, potential or abilities. In obvious and subtle ways, it influences the outcomes
of a myriad of life situations the world over.

The concept of gender sensitivity has been developed as a way to reduce barriers to
personal and economic development created by sexism. Gender sensitivity helps to
generate respect for the individual regardless of sex.

Gender sensitivity is not about pitting women against men. On the contrary,
education that is gender sensitive benefits members of both sexes. It helps them
determine which assumptions in matters of gender are valid and which are stereotyped
generalizations. Gender awareness requires not only intellectual effort but also
sensitivity and open-mindedness. It opens up the widest possible range of life options
for both women and men.

Being sensitive is, very simply put, being appreciative of others’ feelings. In that
context, gender sensitivity is about being considerate of the opposite gender’s feelings.
The reason this is important is because men and women think differently, and
obviously, have varying perspectives.
Be open
The first and most important aspect of gender sensitivity is to be open to the perspective
and feelings of any colleague of the opposite gender. This could be a simple case of
knowing enough about their personal issues to more nuanced understanding of gender-
specific aspects such as comments or jokes that could be offensive.

Be a role model.
Children tend to mirror the attitudes and actions of their parents, so the easiest
first step is to lead by example. Something as simple as taking turns with your partner to
do different chores can break the stereotype that certain activities are for a particular
gender. In addition, taking time to understand the impact of your words is equally
important. What kind of message do you imply when you say “boys will be boys”? How
will that affect your child in the long run? By being conscious of your own language,
you’re indirectly teaching your child to avoid generalization and to think about others
before acting.

Allow them to express themselves.

How many times have we heard the phrase, “Boys don’t cry” or “It’s not ladylike
to shout”? At some point we seem to have assigned ‘appropriate’ emotions to different
genders. For this reason, it is important to keep children from internalizing their negative
emotions. Teach your child to talk through what they’re feeling and encourage them to
come to you with their problems. Something as simple as providing a sincere, listening
ear can teach them not to bottle up their feelings. Working with your child to help them
express their emotions in a healthy manner can help them feel more secure in their
identity and, in turn, help them empathize with their peers.

Every parent wants their child to grow into a compassionate adult. The first step in that
direction is teaching them gender sensitivity. By creating an environment of respect and
understanding, your child will learn that the differences between themselves and their
peers will only enrich their friendships. Discouraging gender-based stereotyping creates
new parameters for your child to excel, without being held back by expectations. This
lack of expectation will also extend to their peers as they start to see achievements and
failures on an individual level, rather than an indication of the group. And, ultimately, you
will foster open-mindedness and empathy in your child’s day to day life.
Activity:
Check the link for viewing
Gender Sensitivity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gCr4jOsweo

Assignment:
1. Think about the different times in your lives when you were asked to behave like a
girl/woman or a boy/man.
2. Note down how you felt when you went through this experience or when you acted
differently.

Reflection:

Read the story below and answer the questions:

Ranu is 16 years old and lives with her parents and three sisters in a nearby
basti. While going to school, she finds that some neighborhood boys continue to harass
her. They whistle, circle the cycle around her, pass comments. Sometimes, they also
make obscene gestures and take photos on their cell phones and share with other boys.
They sometimes board the same bus and stalk her on the way. Ranu shares with her
friends but is scared to tell her parents. One day, Ranu’s father sees the boys in their
act. He immediately decides that she should stop going to school and it is time to get
her married. Ranu is married in haste to an older man and leaves the basti. She pleads
her case and wants to study, But no luck. Within a year, she becomes a mother. She
has a lot of housework to do and becomes physically weak. Her husband drinks
sometimes and beats her. No one helps her and she doesn’t know what to do

(Source: Breakthrough-SANAM)12 Think and answer the following questions:

1. Who is responsible for Ranu’s condition today?

2. Why did her father not report the case and get her married instead?

3. What options did Ranu have?

4. Who could she have gone to for support?

References:

Kendiya (2019). Gender sensitization. National Commission for Women, New Delhi
India. Retrieve from https://bit.ly/3mRSAkc

UNESCO (2002). Gender-sensitivity: a training manual for sensitizing education

managers, curriculum and material developers and media professionals to gender
concerns. Retrieve from https://bit.ly/3H0ZA62
 Lesson 13
Module 11
GENDER SENSITIVITY and RESPONSIVENESS
•Gender sensitivity is the act of being
sensitive to the ways people think
about gender.
•Gender sensitivity refers to an attempt to encounter
and accept people without presumptions.
•Gender sensitive approach aims at opening,
reconstructing and broadening expectations and
behavioural models related to gender.
•Gender sensitivity tries to ensure that people rely less
on assumptions about traditional and outdated views
on the roles of men and women.
What is "gender-sensitive language" and why should I
use it?
•English speakers and writers have traditionally been
taught to use masculine nouns and pronouns in
situations where the gender of their subject(s) is
unclear or variable, or when a group to which they are
referring contains members of both sexes.
•For example, the US Declaration of Independence
states that " . . .
all men are created equal . . ."
•and most of us were taught in elementary school to
understand the word "men" in that context includes
both male and female Americans.
•In recent decades, however, as women have become
increasingly involved in the public sphere of American
life, writers have reconsidered the way they express
gender identities and relationships.
•Because most English language readers no longer
understand the word "man" to be synonymous with
"people," writers today must think more carefully
about the ways they express gender in order to
convey their ideas clearly and accurately to their
readers.
Can Gender-Fair Language Reduce Gender
Stereotyping and Discrimination?
•Gender-fair language (GFL) aims at reducing gender
stereotyping and discrimination.
•Two principle strategies have been employed to make
languages gender-fair and to treat women and men
symmetrically: neutralization and feminization.
•Neutralization is achieved, for example, by replacing
male-masculine forms (policeman) with gender-unmarked
forms (police officer)
Q&A

Gender Sensitivity Training

• The responses are based on limited facts provided by the queries. It is
advisable to consult a legal practitioner after presenting full facts and
documents. Responses should not be considered as legal advice in
any manner whatsoever.
• As a married woman, you have the legal right to food, clothing,
shelter, basic amenities and medical treatment for yourself and your
children. So, you should not have to ask for any of these things as
your husband is required by law to provide these.
• As a wife, you also have the right to know the details of your
husband’s salary,
• RA 9262
• Anti Violence against women and their children law
 Lesson 14
(Module 11 cont.)
Gender Responsiveness
What is gender responsiveness mean?
•Gender responsiveness refers to outcomes
that reflect an understanding of gender
roles and inequalities and which make an
effort to encourage equal participation and
equal and fair distribution of benefits.
•Gender responsiveness is accomplished through gender
analysis, that informs inclusiveness.
•Often, we must try to support efforts that transform unequal
gender relations to promote shared power, control of
resources, decision-making, and support for women’s
empowerment.
•Gender responsive programming refers to programmes
where gender norms, roles and inequalities have been
considered, and measures have been taken to actively
address them.
•Such programmes go beyond increasing sensitivity and
awareness and actually do something to narrow or
remove gender inequalities.
•Gender-responsive education programs that promote
increased access to, and completion of, quality education for
both girls and boys yield multiplier effects.
•Research has shown that girls’ access to education results
in positive intergenerational outcomes in health, nutrition,
infant mortality and income generation, among other
benefits.
GENDER IN EDUCATION PROGRAMMING
•Gender refers to the socially constructed roles and
relationships, personality traits, attitudes, behaviors, values,
relative power and influence that society ascribes to sexes.
•Gender refers not simply to women or men, but to the
relationship(s) between them.
•In the context of education programming, several related
terms exist to communicate the varying, gendered needs of
learners. What follows is a glossary to aid practitioners in
understanding the nuances of gender.
Female empowerment

•Female empowerment occurs when women and girls acquire

the power to act freely, exercise their rights and fulfill their
potential as full and equal members of society.
•While empowerment often comes from within, and
individuals empower themselves, cultures, societies and
institutions create conditions that facilitate or undermine
the possibilities for empowerment.
Gender

•Gender refers the socially constructed roles and

relationships, personality traits, attitudes, behaviors,
values, relative power and influence that society
ascribes to sexes on a differential basis.
•Gender is relational and refers not simply to women
or men, but to the relationship between them.
Gender dynamics

•Gender dynamics refers to the relationships and interactions

between and among boys, girls, women and men.
•Gender dynamics are informed by socio-cultural ideas about
gender and the power relationships that define them.
•Depending upon how they are manifested, gender dynamics
can reinforce or challenge existing norms.
Gender equality

•Gender equality concerns fundamental social

transformation, working with men and boys, women and
girls, to bring about changes in attitudes, behaviors, roles
and responsibilities at home, in the workplace and in the
community.
•Genuine equality means expanding freedoms and improving
overall quality of life so that equality is achieved without
sacrificing gains for either males or females.
Gender equity

•Gender equity means fairness and justice in the distribution

of responsibilities and benefits between women and men.
•To ensure fairness, temporary positive measures must often
be put in place to compensate for the historical and social
disadvantages that prevent women and men from operating
on a level playing field.
Gender integration

•Gender integration involves identifying, and then addressing,

gender inequalities during strategy and project design,
implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
•Since the roles and power relations between men and
women affect how an activity is implemented, it is essential
that project managers address these issues on an ongoing
basis.
Gender parity

•Gender parity refers to equivalent percentages of

males and females in an education system (relative to
the population per age group).
•Parity is essential but not solely sufficient for
achieving gender equality.
Gender-sensitive

•Gender-sensitive indicates gender awareness and means

that a policy or program recognizes the important effects of
gender norms, roles and relations.
• This is often in contrast with being gender-blind, which
ignores both differences in opportunities and resource
allocation for women and men and gender norms, roles, and
relations and often reinforces gender-based discrimination.
Sex

• Sex refers to the biological characteristics that define humans as

female or male.
Gender-responsive

•Gender-responsive refers to a policy or program that fulfills

two basic criteria: a) gender norms, roles and relations are
considered, and b) measures are taken to actively reduce the
harmful effects of gender norms, roles and
relations—including gender inequality.
•Principles for Gender Responsive or Transformative
Programmes
Gender Equality Continuum
: Gender Responsive Assessment Scale1
Gender Responsive C4D Initiatives to Address
VAC
 Module 13
(Continuation Module 12)
Laws and Gender

RA 9262 on Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC)

Anti – Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 or otherwise known
as VAWC, is a law passed in the Philippines for the protection of women and children
from violence and to address violence committed against women and children in
keeping with the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution and the
Provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, among others.

How is violence against women and their children committed as stated under R.A.
No. 9262?
The crime of violence against women and their children is committed by means of any
or a series of acts done by any person which result in or is likely to result in:
1. Physical or acts including bodily or physical harm,
2. Sexual violence or any act which is sexual in nature,
3. Psychological harm or to cause mental or emotional suffering, or
4. Economic abuse.
It shall also include threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or
arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
https://pcw.gov.ph/vaw-faqs/

RH Law
The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012
The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, known as
the RH Law, is a groundbreaking law that guarantees universal and free
access to nearly all modern contraceptives for all citizens, including
impoverished communities, at government health centers.

The Reproductive Health Law is a historic step forward for all women in the Philippines,
empowering them to make their own decisions about their health and families and
participate more fully and equally in their society.

President Benigno S. Aquino III signed the RH Law in December 2012, which was
immediately challenged in court by various conservative Catholic groups. On March 19,
the Supreme Court issued a status quo ante order for 120 days that was later extended
indefinitely, halting the RH Law from going into effect. Fourteen petitions questioning the
constitutionality of the law on the grounds that it violated a range of rights, including
freedom of religion and speech, were consolidated for oral arguments that began on
July 9, 2013 that continued through August 2013.

https://rpo8.popcom.gov.ph/responsible-parenthood-and-reproductive-health-
rprh-general-information/

SEC.1 ARTICLE III

BILL OF RIGHTS

SEC. 1. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of
law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.

To be considered as "illegal", such discrimination must however be in violation of a

specific law. Otherwise, no protection from discrimination may be had even how unfair
or unethical it may seem.

For example, an employer 'may be harder on a specific employee from anyone else for
no apparent reason, While it might be unethical behavior for a boss, it's not
discrimination by law, But ifhe or she is extra hard on the employee for a reason that's
protected by law, such as religion, age or sex, then such shall constitute illegal
discrimination, especially if such employee suffers damage such as getting passed over
for a well-deserved raise or promotion. This measure seeks to prevent certain acts of
discrimination to protect employees and advocate the equal protection c~·ause ofthe
Constitution.
Lesson 15
Module 12
LAWS and GENDER
•Today, more countries uphold gender equality in
their constitutions than ever before—and this is
reason to celebrate.
•But, at the same time, many of these same
countries uphold laws that prevent women from
being treated as equals.
Here’s a sample of 11 of the laws featured in
the report:
•1. Democratic Republic of the Congo
•In DRC, a law states that the husband is the head of the
household, and the wife must obey her husband.
•2. Japan
•According to the Civil Code of Japan, a man is free to
marry once he turns 18, but a girl can marry once she
turns 16.
• 3. Yemen
• In Yemen, wives are required to have “legitimate intercourse” with their
husbands when they are “fit to do so”. They are also required to obey,
and refrain from leaving their home unless given permission from their
husbands.
• 4. United States of America
• In the United States, children born out of wedlock wishing to obtain US
citizenship face different conditions, depending on whether they obtain
status through the mother or the father.
• The laws are rather complicated and detailed, but the take away is this:
the law intrinsically treats women and men differently. Gender equality
is not about giving preference to either gender, hence the word,
"equality".*
•5. Saudi Arabia
•In Saudi Arabia, a fatwa (Islamic ruling) states that
women should not drive because doing so could lead to
the removal of the hijab, interactions with men, and
“taboo” acts. The government claims there is no law
preventing women from driving cars, however Equality
Now notes that fatwas have the force of the law in
Saudi Arabia.
•6. Chile
•Husbands are responsible for the spouses’ joint
property in Chile, as well as property belonging to the
wife.
• 7. Madagascar
• In Madagascar, the Labor Code states that women are not allowed to be
employed at night in any “industrial establishment... except for
establishments where the only ones employed therein are members of one
same family.”
• 8. Russian Federation
• Women are prohibited from doing “heavy work” or working in harmful,
dangerous conditions. Equality Now notes that other types of work women
may not engage in, include, “ driving trains; operating bulldozers, tractors
and trucks; carpenting; plumbing in sewage systems; cutting and cleaning
leather materials in leather production; steelmaking; building and repairing
ships; inspecting watercrafts in the fishing industry; frontline firefighting; and
working as a professional sailor and aircraft and ship mechanic.”
•
•9. India
•In India, unless the wife is under 15 years old, sexual
acts between a man and his wife cannot be considered
rape.
•10. Nigeria
•Husbands are permitted to punish their wives using
physical force for the purposes of “correction”, so long
as the offense doesn’t result in “grievous hurt.”
•11. Egypt
•Egyptian law protects honor killings. If the husband
catches his wife committing adultery and kills her on the
spot, the law states that he will be punished with
detention instead of stricter penalties prescribed for
other murders.
•The Philippines has one of the smallest rates of
gender disparity in the world.
•The position of the Philippines on women's rights is
relatively developed compared to many other nations.
•Over the past century, noticeable developments have been
made which have led to greater endorsement and
protection of these rights.
•The progression towards gender equality came about
through women's movements, increased numbers of
women political representatives, increased numbers of
educated women, greater specificity on women's issues
instituted under legislation, and the focused application of
those laws.
•In recent years, the Filipino government has
addressed the rights of women under a multitude of
legislative schemes including workplace
discrimination, domestic violence, sexual harassment
and human trafficking.
•What is Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act No.
9710)? (https://cws.up.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/RA-9710-Magna-Carta-of-Women.pdf)

•The Magna Carta of Women is comprehensive

women’s human rights law that seeks to eliminate
discrimination against women by recognizing,
protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of
Filipino women, especially those in marginalized
sector.
•Signed by then-president Gloria Arroyo in 2009.
•The Magna Carta for women is a comprehensive women’s
rights law that seeks to uphold the rights of Filipinas,
especially if they belong to marginalized sectors.
•It declares that women are entitled to protection from all
forms of violence, equal treatment before the law, and equal
access to education.
•When employment is concerned, the Magna Carta
generously gives women the right to take a paid break from
work if they undergo surgeries for gynecological disorders.
•Under the Magna Carta of Women, a female employee shall
be entitled to up to two months of special leave with full pay
following surgery caused by gynecological disorders and you
can look up if your gynecological condition is covered.
•This benefit is in addition to leave privileges (sick leaves,
vacation leaves, and parental leaves for solo parents) given
to employees under existing law.
•Women who are advised to undergo ovarian cyst aspiration,
breast biopsy and other gynecological procedures that
require two weeks or less of recuperation period may be
entitled to up to two weeks of special leave benefits.
•By contrast, those who have to undergo total abdominal
hysterectomy, total mastectomy, and other major
procedures may receive two months of special leave
benefits.
•After all, these surgeries are no small thing. They can take a
toll on a woman’s body. In fact, the average recovery period
for these procedures is between three weeks to two months.
•So, if you had to endure a major gynecological surgery, it is
only fitting that your employer gives you the adequate rest
you deserve.
•If you’re an employee in the private sector, you qualify for a
Magna Carta special leave benefits for women provided that
you comply with the following conditions:
• You have rendered at least six months of continuous work for the last
twelve months before the surgery;
• You have filed an application for special leave within a reasonable
period of time from the expected date of surgery (except in cases
requiring emergency gynecological procedure); If you work in the
government sector, you have to file at least five days prior.
• Required documents are 1) the leave form used by your organization;
and 2) a medical certificate issued by a competent medical authority,
preferably one who specializes in gynecological disorders. The med
cert should come with a clinical summary of the gynecological
disorder, a histopathological report, the appropriate operative
technique, duration of surgery, period of confinement, and period of
recuperation.
• You have undergone a procedure due to a gynecological disease
certified by a competent physician
•Again, the special leave benefits under the Magna Carta may
entitle you to full pay for two months, which includes your
basic monthly income and mandatory allowances.
•You should remember, however, that these special benefits
are non-cumulative and non-convertible to cash (like your
unused sick or vacation leaves) unless otherwise stated in
the company rules.
 2. RA 7877 on Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995
• Republic Act No. 7877, or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (RA
7877), is the governing law for work, education or training-related sexual
harassment.
• RA 7877 states that “work, education or training-related sexual harassment is
committed by an employer, employee, manager, supervisor, agent of the
employer, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainor, or any other person
who, having authority, influence or moral ascendancy over another in a work
or training or education environment, demands, requests or otherwise
requires any sexual favor from the other, regardless of whether the demand,
request or requirement for submission is accepted by the object of said act.
 Module 12

LAWS and GENDER

Gender equality laws around the world contribute to counter discrimination against
women and to guarantee equal and fair treatment of men and women, so that they can
fully exercise their human rights. These laws can contribute to eliminate discriminatory
practices and procedures that could otherwise undermine women’s right to participate
in the electoral process.

“Some countries have introduced legislation to address the issue of violence against
women in elections and in politics (VAWE/P). A national law in Bolivia and a protocol
in Mexico define violations and sanctions. These laws recognize that VAWE/P has an
aggravated impact of harming both the victim and undermining electoral integrity and
democracy more broadly. Campaign hate speech and incitement to violence laws also
exist in other countries and may address forms of VAWE/P. Draft laws on VAWE/P
have been presented but not passed in Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Honduras and Peru.

The position of the Philippines on women's rights is relatively developed

compared to many other nations. Over the past century, noticeable developments have
been made which have led to greater endorsement and protection of these rights. The
progression towards gender equality came about through women's movements,
increased numbers of women political representatives, increased numbers of educated
women, greater specificity on women's issues instituted under legislation, and the
focused application of those laws. In recent years, the Filipino government has
addressed the rights of women under a multitude of legislative schemes including
workplace discrimination, domestic violence, sexual harassment and human trafficking.

1. RA 9710 Magna Carta of Women

The Magna Carta of Women is comprehensive women’s human rights law that
seeks to eliminate discrimination against women by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and
promoting the rights of Filipino women, especially those in marginalized sector.

https://mirror.officialgazette.gov.ph/2009/08/14/republic-act-no-9710/
 2. RA 7877 on Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995

Republic Act No. 7877, or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (RA
7877), is the governing law for work, education or training-related sexual
harassment. RA 7877 states that “work, education or training-related sexual
harassment is committed by an employer, employee, manager, supervisor, agent of
the employer, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainor, or any other person
who, having authority, influence or moral ascendancy over another in a work or
training or education environment, demands, requests or otherwise requires any
sexual favor from the other, regardless of whether the demand, request or
requirement for submission is accepted by the object of said act.

https://pcw.gov.ph/republic-act-7877-anti-sexual-harassment-act-of-1995/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3FUcZrWbGQ

Activity:

Kindly visit this link for your perusal.

List of laws protecting women in PH

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063739

Assignment
What are the rights of women according to RA 9710?

Reflection
What is the importance of Republic Act 7877?