Gender and Development

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• In 2009, Republic Act (RA) 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) was enacted. This provides national government agencies with the impetus for gender mainstreaming and provides guidelines for the creation of a GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) to catalyze, lead and coordinate the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Gender and Development (GAD) programs addressing gender issues and concerns based on the results of gender audits and gender analyses in each agency.

• Gender and development (GAD) is an approach to development that focuses on social, economic and cultural forces that determine how differently women and men access and control development resources and benefits. GAD is about development for all. A more equal status for men and women is an essential condition for attaining a sustainable, people-centered, inclusive development.

• The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney is committed to be a gender-responsive Consulate in providing gender-responsive consular services in New South Wales. Some of the projects of the Philippine Consulate in implementing GAD projects and activities include the following: trainings on GAD; dissemination of information and education campaign on its social media platforms which support GAD and women’s day activities.

• The Consulate supports the National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) every March as part of the worldwide observance of the International Women’s Day. Every year the Consulate holds activities on March 8 which is declared as National Women’s Day by Republic Act 6949.

• The theme for 2016-2021 International Women’s Day celebration is “We Make Change Work for Women”. It highlights the empowerment of women as active contributors to and claimholders of development. This pursuit of development is also anchored on the commitment of “Malasakit at Pagbabago” or True Compassion and Real Change.  The objective is to inspire and empower women and girls to be agents of change – to contribute in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of all women.

• During the Women’s month in March, the Consulate supports the Serbisyo Para Kay Juana and Purple Fridays of the Philippine Commission on Women which is an advocacy activity in calling women and men advocates to advance women's rights and gender equality, break gender stereotypes and stop gender-based violence and discrimination against women.

• From 25 November to 12 December every year, the Consulate joins the observance of the 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW). Adopting the theme “VAW-free community starts with Me” for year 2016 to 2021, the campaign emphasizes everyone’s commitment and contributions on ending VAW, and presents an ideal picture of a VAW-free community, thus inspiring the general public to make a personal commitment to end violence against women and children.