Gender and Development (GAD)

Gender Analysis of 2023 projects

In 2023, it has been observed that the percentage of women APO grantees for APO projects is at 68% which is 9% higher than 2021 and 2022 data (59%). This proved that the program has benefited women in terms of participation in APO projects. 

Gender issues and challenges 

Based on baseline data of 2021, women’s participation in APO projects is at 59%. Baseline data on the number and proportion of women teachers and employees in educational institutions have not been established.

In 2021, one issue raised during the gender analysis was the lack or missing data on sex, due to some project reports that did not include the sex disaggregated data of participants. One reason is that the implementing organization or project implementers failed to collect SDD during the registration of participants. To address this issue, the APO/DAP Secretariat has included in its Memo for its APO implementing Centers/Project Managers the requirement to submit the number and list of participants with sex-disaggregated data. 

Another issue in 2021 was the lack of mechanism or tool to collect information/data on inequalities related to gender roles, perspectives and needs, or access to and control of resources. Also for the same reason, constraints and opportunities related to women and men’s participation in the projects was not collected. To address this issue, a Gender Responsiveness Survey tool was designed through the help of three female technical officers and staff from the DAP Corporate Operations and Strategy Management Office in 2024. The GAD focal will solicit feedback from members of the DAP Gender and Development Technical Working Group (GAD TWG), prior to its pilot testing for the 2024 APO grantees. 

Based on 3-year historical data of womens’ participation, it has been observed that there is a disparity in the percentage of participation compared with other genders. To address this emerging trend, the APO/DAP Secretariat has included the following phrase in the APO Nomination/Endorsement form “We are committed to equality of opportunity to all applicants, and we encourage the nomination of individuals regardless of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, or religion.”

Gender Equality Goal

The GAD goal is aligned with the country’s Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) Initiatives, specifically, Strategic Goal on Women’s Social Development Rights for the Education Sector. The gender issue is described as: 

“Education is a key component for measuring overall quality of life and well-being of a population. Improving the educational outcomes of women and men, girls and boys is linked with improved health, particularly reproductive health of women in their childbearing ages. It also translates into enhanced opportunities for paid employment as well as increased productivity in market and non-market work (GEWE Plan 2019-2025).”

“An educated populace engages meaningfully in social and political affairs.

The Philippine government, through the implementation of the Magna Carta of Women and other relevant laws and policies supports educational parity among women and men, girls and boys by ensuring that they continually benefit from equal access to and elimination of discrimination in education, scholarship and training (GEWE Plan 2019-2025).”

GAD Impact Statement

“Quality of life of Filipino women/girls and men/boys enriched”.

GAD Outcomes Statement

1. “Women’s Empowerment Achieved”.

2. “Key gender disparities and vulnerabilities of women and girls reduced.”

GAD Outputs Statement

1. “Gender-responsive instruments and mechanisms (policies, plans, systems, processes, programs, projects, activities and services) in support of GEWE promulgated, formulated and designed”.

2. “Capacities of women and girls to enable them to access resources, participate in development processes, and exercise their rights increased”.

GAD Objectives for 2025:

1. 65% participation rate of women to APO projects achieved;

2. Sex-disaggregated data of participants collected from all APO projects;

3. Emerging gender issues of women and men participation in APO projects collected and analyzed;

GAD Indicators for 2025:

1. Number and proportion of women APO grantees;

2. Number and proportion of women teachers and employees in educational institutions who are APO grantees;

3. Percentage of projects with sex-disaggregated data collected;

4. Gender responsiveness survey/tool administered;

GAD Strategies

1. Networking and collaboration with women organizations from the private sectors (WBCP, PCB, etc.); 

2. Promotion of APO projects to public HEIs and private sector educational institutions, including those in the regions;

3. Coordination with relevant stakeholders from the public and private sectors on the nomination of women in APO projects;

4. Issuance of memorandum on the required collection of sex-disaggregated data of APO projects;

5. Integration of GAD elements in the participant evaluation forms and administration to participants;