Davao City Water District - Programs and Projects

DAVAO CITY WATER DISTRICT is not only a provider of safe water Davao City but also plays significant role in responding to other basic or social needs of the community through implementing various Programs and Projects (PAPs). We ensure that all identified PAPs are Gender and Development (GAD) inclusive as it is being integrated in Project Development Cycle especially in identifying issues and concerns during the conduct of Gender Analysis.

The success of any gender mainstreaming efforts depend, to a large extent, on the resources allocated and the mechanisms that are institutionalized to implement it. As a mandate, we ensure to be compliant to the minimum 5% utilization of the GAD budgets of government agencies and local government units and apply the Gender and Development tools such as the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines for Project Development, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation.

Hence, DCWD is committed to ensure that our PAPs, Policies, and Systems do not hamper our campaign to have a gender-responsive environment where everyone is provided with equal opportunities.

INITIAL ACTIVITIES TO FACILITATE GAD MAINSTREAMING

DCWD, with its commitment to provide gender-responsive activities, the organization has initiated and participated to every observance of international, national, and local GAD related events. With this, we were able to raise-awareness on certain causes, educate employees on arising gender issues and how we could address it on our own ways.

Further, DCWD also ensures the equitable participation of women and men in the organization, hence, basic GAD Orientation or Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) is conducted annually for both internal and external clients. To further intensify GAD, identifying gender issues is necessary. With this, DCWD conducted community consultations to different barangays in order to address issues and formulate corresponding strategies.

The organization has also initiated consultation with both PCW and relevant agencies/individuals on its GAD mainstreaming efforts wherein gender mainstreaming guidelines for Local Water Districts (LWDs) was crafted. Through these activities, numerous IEC materials were created, reviewed and revised. A GAD website was programmed to publish the results of DCWD's efforts in integrating Gender and Development (GAD) in the organization and to its external stakeholders.

ESTABLISHING COMMITMENT TOWARDS GENDER MAINSTREAMING

The GAD Agenda of DCWD is its strategic framework and plan on gender mainstreaming towards achieving women’s empowerment and gender equality. Together with the emerging gender issues, international/national GAD mandates and/or results of gender analysis, this GAD Agenda serves as basis in the creation of GAD Plans and Budget (GPB) that will identify programs, activities, and projects to be undertaken to achieve the GAD goals and outcomes and plan.

Moreover, deepening sessions on GAD for either GFPS or concerned staff members based on the results of TNA or updated GAD Policies/Tools were conducted in DCWD.

Application of gender analysis (GA) tools in order to enhance or develop more the DCWD PAPs were also done. Series of deepening sessions with the organization's department and its external stakeholders were conducted to ensure that the PAPs of DCWD will address current and arising gender issues.

GAD APPLICATION

DCWD is now at Level 3 in gender mainstreaming. This means that GAD-related actions have been applied and already become part of the organization's culture.

The majority of DCWD's interventions are based on a strategic GAD Agenda that directs GAD planning and funding. GAD planning and budgeting has grown more strategic in terms of incorporating gender analysis into routine programs, resulting in greater GAD budget attribution and/or more gender responsive programs.1

With our determination to intensify GAD in DCWD projects, the GAD Unit, in coordination with other departments have conducted deepening sessions on GAD Attribution (see memorandum). The status of GAD Attributed Projects this year was further discussed during a meeting with Engineering Department and Community Relations Department held virtually last June 2021 (see memorandum).

Resources:

1 A Handbook on the Application of Enhanced Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework. (2016). Manila: Philippine Commission on Women.

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