Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
I. Introduction
Ever since the life began on Earth, gender roles have been taking shape in
daily life. With the passage of time, the concept of division of labor between sexes
evolved in human society. Gradually, ‘politics’ and ‘economics’ became the center
of survival, which gave a new meaning to the functions of daily life of both men
and women. Gender segregation is not something very uncommon in this
developed world. Nowadays, it is visible that women still suffer gender
discrimination in numerous fields. However, looking back all the way from the stone
age, it was already assumed that men have greater capacity for physical strength,
thus, better suited to act as hunters in a world full of massive beasts . Women, on
the other hand were assumed to control of the household chores .
As times passed, and with the concept of division of labor has firmly
entrenched in society, specialized role, functions and duties of both genders began
to take form. Thus, it has become the woman’s duty to take responsibility for
cooking, sweeping, washing clothes, sewing and other requirements of the
household are exclusive for women.
During the late twentieth century, the issue of gender equality once again
became an issue on the global agenda. The UN Decade for women, which ended
in 1985, initiated the integration of women into development, triggering the
formation of thousands of women’s organizations and networking them across the
world.1 In 1993, the Vienna World Conference proclaimed that women’s rights
were human rights; in 1994, the Cairo International Conference on Population and
Development placed women’s empowerment and health at the center of
sustainable development programs. Two years later, the Beijing Fourth World
Conference on Women adopted a platform seeking to promote and protect the full
enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all women.2
Fast forward to the twenty-first century, the norms are still the same. Who
cooks dinner and does the dishes? Cleans the house? Put the kids to bed? Why
is that all the said activities are automatically associated with women’s household
roles? How is it that these activities are not valued in the same way as other types
of work? And, why is it that many middle-class households around the world have
come to rely on paid domestic workers – sometimes from overseas – to undertake
this work? And mostly, almost always preferably taking female workers to do the
job.
1
Mary K. Meyer and Elisabeth Prugl, Eds. 1999. Gender Politics and Global Governance. Lanham,
MD: Rowman and Littlefield; J. True and M. Mintrom. 2001. “Transnational networks and policy diffusion:
The case of gender mainstreaming.” International Studies Quarterly 45 (1): 27–57; L. Reanda. 1999.
“Engendering the United Nations – The changing international agenda.” European Journal of Women’s
Studies 6 (1): 49–61.
2
United Nations. Women 2000: Gender Equality, Development and Peace. Special session of the
General Assembly, June 5–9.
As a window into these changes, the article gives primary attention to the
world’s increasing career opportunities, opportunities which are mostly available
to men and limited to women. Its relation to connections between poverty and
sexual inequality and struggles of being a career woman in this modern world . It
is very ironic that women are underrepresented in the world of political economy,
when the definition itself means management of the household based on laws of
the land.
3
Lauri Karvonen and Per Selle. 1995. Women in Nordic Politics. Aldershot: Dartmouth.
B. Research Methodology
Women constitute slightly more than half of the world population. Their role in the
social, political and economic development of societies is also more than half as
compared to that of men by virtue of their dual roles in the productive and reproductive
spheres. They are an important part in the balance of power in the societies in all over
the world. Nowadays, all the decisions made in the world (economic, social, political,
educational and artistic) are made by both man and woman in an equal way but this was
not the reality years before.4
Early global writing on women’s empowerment is associated by many with the
analysis and advocacy work of various organizations. Empowerment is needed because
of the presence of unequal power relations, and includes the processes by which people
who have been denied the ability to exercise agency, autonomy or choices gain such
abilities (Batliwala, 1994; Sen, 1993; Kabeer, 1999; Bisnath and Elson, 1999; Sen and
Batliwala, 2000; Malhotra et al, 2002).
Overall, empowerment refers to those transformative forms of agency that not only
address immediate inequalities faced by women but also aid changes in consciousness
and agency that challenge patriarchal structures.
It is clear that women's empowerment requires agency along multiple dimensions-
-sexual, reproductive, economic including unpaid care, political, legal--and multiple
freedoms including, most importantly, from threats and violence.5 These dimensions are
interdependent in the sense in which the term is used in human rights discourse.
Women’s freedoms and agency can be promoted by tilting the unequal distribution of
resources - assets, rules and norms - in favor of women so that they can exercise a much
wider set of choices and autonomy. An improvement in women's economic capabilities
such as education and health may enable women to exercise agency in other spheres
such as holding a paid job, whether and when to have children, to have greater roles in
household decision-making, and may lower the risk of becoming victims of violence but
this is by no means assured.
4
Amina Ghorfat & Rabha Medini, Feminism and It’s Impact On Woman in the Modern Society.
5
Gita Sen and Avanti Mukherjee. No Empowerment without Rights, No Rights without Politics:
Gender-Equality, MDGs and the post 2015 Development Agenda, p.9.
6
Kevin Voigt, ‘Women: Saviors of the world economy?’, CNN.com: http://
edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/10/25/intl.women.global.economy/, accessed 8 January 2015).
7
Mylene Hega, Secretary General of MAKALAYA (Women Workers Network) for the Friedrich-
Ebert-Stiftung Philippine Office
8
Jason Strother, Philippines Wins Accolades for Gender Equality; With Reservations
Considering the unequal gender relations in our country, the Constitution further
provided for women representation (as one of the 9 marginalized sectors) in the
legislature through the party-list system (which should cover 20% of the lower house).
Finally, Article 13 Section 14 specifically mentioned that the “State shall protect working
women by providing safe and healthful working conditions, taking into account their
maternal functions, and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare
and enable them to realize their full potential in the service of the nation”.
9
UNDP Fast Facts (UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and
connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. In the
Philippines, UNDP fosters human development for peace and prosperity. Working with central and local
Governments as well as civil society, and building on global best practices, UNDP strengthens capacities
of women, men and institutions to empower them to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the
objectives of the Philippine Mid-term Development Plan.)
10
Fritzie Rodriguez, Rappler
While the situation in all countries is quite different, there are women who
still face difficulties accessing the finance needed to start and expand businesses
or get jobs that should well compensate them for their credentials.
11
Emma Dunkley, ‘Banks Tackled over Lack of Diversity’, Financial Times, 19th November 2015.
The fact that there is a gender bias in women’s access to finance, economy
and politics in almost all parts of the world has been well documented. The specific
expressions of this bias vary across space and in all parts of the globe whether
those are developed countries like United States and Japan . However, it is more
evident in third world countries like the Philippines.
However, in the case of WEPs are nonetheless just a useful indicator of the
commitment of corporations to the improvement of gender equality beyond the
corporate, only that it extends throughout the supply chain and radiates on a more
global scale.
Let us not forget the chance that we missed in the 1992 and 2016 Philippine
Presidential elections when Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago ran for presidency.
She has the capability, the brains, the gut and the grits to govern the political-
economic affairs of the Philippines on a more sophisticated level. What if all the
said qualities are in a male candidate? Most likely, the male candidate has greater
chances of winning.
Is there really a need for women to step up and to have all their efforts
recognized? YES. Women have the same capacities as men, and can do the jobs
in the political economy arena equally as men can do. All through the centuries
that has passed, it is time for the world to veer away from the global standards and
visualize a more diverse approach.
Agatha Ana Jumelle R. Servida
AB Foreign Service
There are still a lot of obstacles for women to partake a bigger role and
impact in the political economy arena, may it be local or international. It is prevalent
that leadership is still conceptualized in terms of male strength and social
definitions of role still pervade the society with women who are still pictured to be
the support of the “leader-husband” or their male counterparts and whose main
tasks are to take care of household chores and provide charity. And it should never
be forgotten that women’s display of ‘feminine’ characteristics are natural and
universal, and these characteristics are good for limiting risk in the economic field.
In a fast-changing global economy the demand for skills has swelled, and
all sectors, public or private have sought to expand their talent pools. The way for
this to be fulfilled is a widespread career opportunity for all, disregarding gender.
What we can do now that there is a progress towards gender equality and
it has entailed shift towards a new equilibrium where women have access to more
endowments, more economic opportunities, and more ways to exercise their
agency—is to maintain everything. Continuing our collective action through social
networks and civil society groups are needed in advancing gender equality. There
is no need for feminism, only balance. Just always bear in mind that women’s
movements have long been a driving force for social change. They have given
voice to the cause of gender equality, creating a space for public debate and
setting the stage for change and reform. Women mobilize as political actors and
social agents for a wide variety of causes—social, political, economic,
environmental. Thus, must be retained. Lastly, to expand women’s network to
make women feel less isolated. Instead, with their collective identity, enabling them
to wield more power. When a woman has political and economic rights, she can
be powerful and she can be heard. Imagine how our economic engines would hum
if every woman had equal access to education, skills training, employment, and
entrepreneurial opportunity. Imagine the positive benefits for democracy, peace-
building, and legislation if every woman had an equal chance to run for office, be
a community leader, or have an active voice in politics. women have political voice
and a seat at decision-making tables there is a greater chance of building healthy
and fair democracies where women’s human rights are valued and realized. In
addition, women and girls play a critical role in breaking the cycle of poverty, most
especially to developing countries. Economically empowered women create
healthier, more sustainable, and equal societies.
Agatha Ana Jumelle R. Servida
AB Foreign Service
VI. References
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Century Caribbean. The Political Economy of Gender in the Twentieth-
Century Caribbean, 20-44. doi:10.1057/9780230508163_2
Roberts, Adrienne. "The Limitations of Transnational Business Feminism: The
Case of Gender Lens Investing" Soundings 62, no. 62 (2016): 68-83.
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Dunkley, E. (2015, November 19). Banks Tackled Over Lack of Diversity.
Retrieved March 09, 2018, from https://www.ft.com/content/d385b41c-
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Flax, J. ‘Is Enlightenment Emancipatory? A Feminist Reading of What is
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Hega, M. (2003). Participation of Women in Philippine Politics and Society: A
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Philippines- A Study About Gender Equality in the Parliament of Philippines.
Retrieved March 11, 2018, from https://hb.diva-
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Mishra, A. (2015, October 19). Empowering Women, Empowering Society:
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Retrieved on March 14, 2018 from https://www.rappler.com/move-
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Saludes, M. (2015, March 8). Philippine Gender Gap Narrow But Women Leaders
Still Needed. Retrieved March 11, 2018 from https://www.rappler.com.
Strother, J. 2013. Philippines Wins Accolades for Gender Equality; With
Reservations, Federal Information & News Dispatch, Inc, Lanham.
Yogendrarajah, R. (2013, March). Women Empowerment Through Micro-credit –
A Special Reference to Jaffna District
Unite, A. Sullivan, M. & Shi. A. (2015, November). Women on Top: Diversity in
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N/A (2016, March 8). By the numbers: Women's Empowerment in the Philippines.
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