Monday, April 15, 2019 to Monday, May 13, 2019
Background:
In 2016, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) introduced #AgendaNiJuana which calls for gender-balance in leadership and decision-making positions both in public and private sector; inclusion of women’s concerns in leadership platforms and the government’s development agenda; and capacitating and preparing women and girls to reach their ambitions.
The campaign was launched during the 2016 National Women’s Month Celebration where the PCW initiated a crowdsourcing on which women’s issues should be prioritized or addressed by then incoming government within the next six years.
Results of the 2016 Agenda ni Juana Crowdsourcing revealed that the following issues were deemed most important by the participants:
1. Improved education, awareness-raising and women’s participation in gender-responsive climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and management towards building resilient communities
2. Improved access to justice of victims of abuse and violence, especially women and girls with disabilities and other vulnerable groups
3. Improved access to land, water, capital, markets, and enterprise technologies in rural and urban areas
4. Expanded access to affordable comprehensive women’s health care and services
5. Improved information dissemination on government programs and services for realizing gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and their human rights
2019 Elections
In time for the upcoming 2019 National Elections, the PCW is re-launching #AgendaNiJuana integrated campaign to reiterate its call for gender-responsive governance, the gender-balance leadership, and promotion of women’s political participation and representation in all spheres of society.
Objectives:
To generate online discussions and engagements regarding women’s political participation, gender-balance in leadership and decision-making positions, and women’s legislative agenda.
This shall be achieved through the development of information, education and communication (IEC) materials which shall be disseminated through the traditional and new media.
INCLUDING WOMEN IN THE AGENDA: CORE MESSAGES ON WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION
Why include women? Women’s active and meaningful participation brings in women’s perspectives in all aspects of governance and leadership. Thus, it expands the scope of policies and programs to include issues and concerns that affect women, children, and their communities. Almost half of the population is women; hence, they comprise half of the pool of talents and abilities that can be tapped for overall progress. Limiting their participation in different levels of leadership leads in inefficient use of human resources and thus inhibiting overall development. Leaders, regardless of sex, are not born but made. Thus, we must create an enabling environment for women and girls by giving them access to proper education, relevant training, and job or business opportunities. When we strive to provide women and girls better learning and hands-on training experiences, more career choices, and motivation to aspire for leadership roles in their chosen field, we help them achieve their full potentials and maximize their contribution to national development.
Our Call
1. Gender-balance in leadership and decision-making positions both in public and private sector
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calls for ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision- making in political, economic and public life. Achieving the goal of equal participation of women and men in leadership would accurately reflect the composition of society in decision making; thus strengthening our democracy. Without the active participation of women and the incorporation of women’s perspectives at all levels of decision-making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved. While we see Filipino women rising to leadership positions, we still need to address multiple and complex issues that discourage other women from taking the challenge. These include persisting stereotypes and traditional gender roles of the society in general, political and workplace cultures that favor men as natural leaders since women has more reproductive roles to fulfill, and limited support for women and men to balance work and household responsibilities.
2. Inclusion of women’s concerns in leadership platfroms and the government’s development agenda
Women in decision-making positions, whether elected or appointed, contribute in redefining priorities; placing new items in the development agenda that reflect and address women’s gender-specific concerns, values and experiences; and providing new perspectives on mainstream political issues. The underrepresentation of women in decision-making positions in the areas of culture and the arts, sports, media literacy, religion and the law have prevented women from having a significant impact on many key institutions. Women have gained access to power through alternative structures; particularly in the non-government organization (NGO) sector. Through the NGOs and grassroots organizations, women have been able to articulate their interests and concerns, and have placed women’s issues on the national, regional and international development agenda. We call on all women and men who are seeking public office to reveal their agenda for women in their leadership platforms. We also need to strengthen our citizens’ engagement mechanisms and encourage more women to actively participate and shape our local and national development agenda, as well as programs and projects for the communities.
3. Capacitating and preparting women and girls to reach their ambitions
Since leaders are not born but made, we need to capacitate women and girls and boost their confidence in taking on leadership and decision-making positions in whatever career or endeavor they choose. Initiatives to prepare women and girls to participate actively, effectively, and equally with boys at all levels of social, economic, political and cultural leadership should be undertaken. Beyond formal classroom education and training, we need to expose them to mentoring, networking, and positive role models to increase their self-esteem and reach their ambitions.
How are we faring?
- There are only six (6) women senators out of 24 senatorial seats for the 17th Congress. Four of which will serve until June 30, 2019 while the remaining two will serve until June 20, 2019 (without prejudice to the results of the 2019 Elections)
Table 1- 2016 Senatorial Election Results
| No. of seats | Percentage | |
| Female | 2 | 17% |
| Male | 10 | 83% |
- There are only 88 legislators out of 303 seats (29%) in the lower house for the term 2016-2019.
Table 2- 2016 Congressional (House of Representatives) Election Results
| No. of seats | Percentage | |
| Female | 68 | 29% |
| Male | 170 | 71% |
- In local elective posts, women and men are disproportionately represented either as candidates or as actual elected officials
Table 3 – 2016 Provincial Election Results
| No. of seats | Percentage | |
| Female | 188 | 20% |
| Male | 750 | 80% |
Table 4 – 2016 City/Municipal Election Results
| No. of seats | Percentage | |
| Female | 3,586 | 21% |
| Male | 13,222 | 79% |
- The percentage of women in third level positions is 43 percent (822 women out of 1,906 total occupied positions), according to February 2019 Career Executive Service (CES) Board Data.
Table 5- Female-Male Ratio in Government Third Level Positions
| No. of seats | Percentage | |
| Female | 3,586 | 21% |
| Male | 13,222 | 79% |
| Total number of occupied positions | 1,906 | |
| Total number of CES positions | 2,686 |
- Women’s representation at the governing boards of government corporations need to be hurdled as well as figures show that decision-making bodies in GOCCs are largely dominated by men (80%).
Table 6 – Incumbent Members of the GOCC Governing Boards
| No. of occupied positions | Percentage | |
| Female | 175 | 19.2% |
| Male | 738 | 80.8% |
| Total | 913 |
- There are only 806 (45%) female judges out of the 1,778 1st and 2nd level courts Judges of 1st and 2nd level Courts as December 31, 2016.
Table 7- Female-Male Disaggregation of Judges of 1st and 2nd level courts
| No. of occupied positions | Percentage | |
| Female | 806 | 45% |
| Male | 972 | 55% |
| Total | 1778 |
- There are only two (2) women secretaries out of 22 cabinet secretaries under the Duterte Administration.
- A report from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) revealed the following percentage of elected women candidates in the barangay level: Punong Barangay: 20.4%; Barangay Kagawad: 29.8% and Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson: 35.5%
WHAT YOU CAN DO?
For women leaders
• Become a potent agent of transformative leadership may it be in the public or private sector.
•Continuously create an enabling environment for women to excel in their craft, and lead them by motivation.
• Set as a positive example to young women and girls.o Be a mentor to a young woman or girl so that she can rise on the ladder too.
For women starting their career in and in middle management positions
• Never get tired to aspire for higher office and capacitate yourself to qualify for these positions.o Remove hesitations and apprehensions to accept higher positions due to reproductive roles and conservative mindset that leadership is not a women’s world.
• Be inspired by fellow women who made it to the top; find a mentor to guide you in reaching your ambition.
For hiring and appointing authorities
• Provide equal opportunities for women and men and appoint one based on her/his qualifications and not based on sex or gender stereotypes.o Challenge workplace cultures that perpetuate gender biases and stereotyping of gender roles.
• Continuously monitor the gender balance on the number of women and men in middle management vis-à-vis management positions.
For education sector
•Consider having a quota-based system for training or scholarship opportunities or its equivalent to ensure balance in the number of girls and boys who are provided with these opportunities.
• Equally encourage both girls and boys to dream, guide them in choosing their career track based on their abilities and job market needs, and encourage them to work on achieving their ambitions.
For policy and decision-makers
• Always consider women’s issues and consult women in crafting development agenda or plans.
For Juans
• Men of quality respect gender equality. Never be afraid and ashamed to treat women and girls are equally competent as you can be. Mutual respect and openness to accept each other’s strengths and opportunities for improvement are keys to building a progressive society.
For Juanas
• Become an active member of your community, express ideas and provide suggestions in planning and decision-making processes.
• Register and vote for qualified women or men leaders who can genuinely bring in your concerns to national or local policies, plans and programs.
• Get involved in the community discussions, online forums, campaigns and other activities related to the advancement and empowerment of all women and girls.
DOWNLOAD a copy of the Agenda ni Juna Branding Guide
