GAD Corner

2024 National Women’s Month Celebration

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The National Women’s Month Celebration has its roots in the recognition of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8th, a historical event stemming from the organizing efforts of women in the early 20th Century. Between 1909 and 1911, working women in the United States, united under the National Women’s Trade Union League and other groups, protested against low wages, lack of protective legislation, and harsh working conditions.

These demonstrations were a response to the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in March 1911 in New York City, claiming the lives of over 140 working girls, primarily Italian and Jewish immigrants. The subsequent observances of IWD invoked the appalling working conditions and unfair labor practices leading up to the disaster.

In Europe, Clara Zetkin and the Socialist Women’s International advocated for March 8th to be recognized as International Women’s Day, annually celebrating working women worldwide. This celebration has left an indelible mark on historical events, including inspiring the general strike that initiated the Russian Revolution in St. Petersburg in 1917, where 10,000 women textile workers voiced their concerns.

IWD gained official recognition by the United Nations as a day to celebrate women’s contributions to societies globally. In the Philippines, the National Women’s Month Celebration has become a platform to spotlight women’s accomplishments and address ongoing and emerging issues related to women’s empowerment and gender equality. The focus is on concrete activities aligned with national and international agreements, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development (1995-2025), the Framework Plan for Women, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Elements of the Theme

WE represents Women and Everyone, highlighting the collective responsibility for gender equality, not solely resting on women but involving everyone. WE also symbolizes Women’s Empowerment, a goal achievable when various entities, ranging from agencies and institutions to private partners and duty-bearers at national and local levels, ensure women equal rights and opportunities. The active participation of women in seizing these opportunities is also essential. Through the collaborative efforts of women and everyone, achieving genderequality becomes a tangible possibility.

Gender Equality constitutes the first component of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) advocacy, representing the fundamental goal in advancing women’s rights. The theme underscores the need for accelerated action to intensify efforts toward this crucial aspiration. According to the Global Gender Gap Report, progress is slow, with the global gender gap closing at only 68.4%. At this rate, achieving complete parity would require 131 years. It must also be noted that no country has yet attained full gender parity.

Despite this extended timeline, the struggle for gender equality today is an investment in a more inclusive and improved future, even if the complete realization may extend beyond our current generations. The phrase gender equality is also preceded by the word “for”, signifying our call to women and everyone to advocate for, take action on, and promote equality and inclusivity.

Inclusive society goes beyond a gender-responsive approach; it champions a society that surpasses the distinctions in SOGIE, class, ability, generation, status, and culture. It envisions a society where every individual, each endowed with rights and responsibilities, plays an active role. Equality and inclusion are interwoven elements of the GEWE advocacy, emphasizing the importance of fostering a society that embraces and celebrates diversity.

Focus for the 2024 National Women’s Month Celebration

Grounded on the objective of transforming culture toward a more equal and inclusive future, the 2024 NWMC bears the sub-theme, “Lipunang Patas sa Bagong Pilipinas; Kakayahan ng Kababaihan, patutunayan!” It echoes the target outcomes of Chapter 15 in the Updated Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Plan 2019-2025 towards transforming gender norms and culture.

With “Lipunang Patas sa Bagong Pilipinas,” the 2024 sub-theme calls for a Bagong Pilipinas where women are given equitable opportunities and not hindered by gender biases and discriminatory stereotypes. “Kakayahan ng Kababaihan, patutunayan!,” aims to showcase and harness the full potentials of women and girls in actively engaging in and reaping the benefits of national growth and development. However, achieving this requires an enabling environment free from discriminatory values, stereotypes, beliefs, treatment, and portrayal of women and girls across family, religion, education, sports, media, and other relevant institutions. The vision extends to government agencies and institutions incorporating gender mainstreaming in the bureaucracy, men joining the cause for equality, and establishing a legal framework that supports the protection of marginalized groups of women, including the girl child, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, Muslims, and those with diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression (SOGIE).

Objectives

The National Women’s Month Celebration 2024 aims to:

Inform and engage women and everyone in pushing for the transformation of gender norms and culture towards an inclusive society;
Highlight the collaborative efforts of government agencies and the private sector in addressing poverty and strengthening financial institutions to bridge gender gaps, advocating for social protection systems, and enhancing access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for women and girls;
Provide platforms to share good practices and address gaps, challenges, and commitments in pursuing gender and development (GAD), further strengthening the implementation of the Magna Carta of Women toward its milestone 15th year this 2024;
Inspire women and girls to empower themselves and take on leadership roles, opportunities, and benefits toward maximizing their full potential and enabling them to reap the fruits of gender equality;

Promote a society that ensures inclusion, protection of fundamental freedoms, diversity, and social justice, in which every individual, each with rights and responsibilities, is capacitated and encouraged to take an active role in playing.

PCW-led activities

Stakeholders are enjoined to participate or support the activities organized by the PCW in time for the 2024 NWMC.

International Women’s Day Celebration: Investing in Equality toward Gender-Inclusive Prosperity

In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, 2024, the Philippine Commission on Women, SM Supermalls, and UN Women will lead conversations anchored in the IWD theme “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”. The focus will be on addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing through a gender perspective. The session will delve into crucial topics such as financing with a gender lens and the outcomes of Gender and Development (GAD) budget initiatives. Esteemed panelists from different key government agencies will provide valuable insights. The session will also highlight the various initiatives of the United Nations agencies and development partners in accelerating progress through empowering and enabling women, in line with the relevant Sustainable Development Goals. Another discussion will spotlight the important role of technology in advancing women’s empowerment, particularly for entrepreneurs, and how businesses can leverage technology to bridge gender gaps and promote social change. From corporate social responsibility initiatives to sustainable business practices, the discussion aims to shed light on the multifaceted ways in which the private sector can act as catalysts for poverty alleviation and institution-building. Another session will zero in on gender-inclusive inclusive financing and exploring ways to combat poverty through technology, with a specific emphasis on finance technology and ICT.

Launching of the radio plugs development on transforming gender norms

Dedicated to cultivating a culture of gender equality, the PCW intends to harness the power and influence of radio to connect with audiences. To be teased during the NWMC 2024, these radio plugs will endeavor to question and transform prevailing societal norms, prompting a transition toward a more inclusive and fair society. The radio plugs, concise but catchy, aim to spark conversations about the existing norms and how these can be changed.

#JuanaSays 2024

Marking a decade since it was launched in 2015, #JuanaSays will feature daily inspirational statements from women who have made a significant impact, shattered stereotypes, and played a pivotal role in reshaping gender norms in various fields. Aligned with the International Women’s Day theme, this year’s #JuanaSays will also spotlight women who are at the forefront of initiatives aimed at narrowing gender disparities in finance. This includes their efforts in addressing poverty, providing financial education and technology, advocating for social protection systems, and improving access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for women and girls.

#WEcanbeEquALL

Mobilizing support to the cause for gender equality, the online campaign aims to express our optimism that #WEcanbeEquALL. This hashtag inspires women and everyone (WE) to advocate for equality and inclusivity, ensuring that ALL, irrespective of gender, ability, status, or circumstances, receive due respect and rights. With our rallying banner #WEcanbeEquALL, the commitment is to leave no one behind. Participants are encouraged to use this hashtag to not only share their dedication but also outline their plans of action in the pursuit of gender equality and the establishment of an inclusive society.

2024 NWMC Sticker Pack

The PCW will release a digital sticker pack designed for daily use, filled with uplifting messages centered around gender equality and women’s empowerment. This innovative sticker pack serves as a powerful tool to infuse positivity into daily digital conversations while promoting essential values of equality and empowerment. Users can easily incorporate these expressive stickers into their daily interactions, fostering awareness and encouraging discussions on the crucial issues of gender parity. With a diverse range of positive messages, PCW’s digital sticker pack aims to make a meaningful impact by fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect in the digital realm, one sticker at a time.

Suggested Activities

PCW urges national and local government offices, non-government organizations, sectoral groups, private entities, civil society organizations, and various stakeholders at national, regional, and local levels to organize meaningful and pertinent activities aligning with the overarching theme and sub-theme of the 2024 National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) and the Gender and Development (GAD) objectives. Possible activities may include:

NWMC-themed Flag Raising Ceremony

Government agencies and local government units are encouraged to incorporate National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) announcements, reminders, messages, and activities during their respective Flag Raising Ceremonies in the last week of February and the first week of March (or other applicable dates). The use of the All-Women Cast Lupang Hinirang Video in NWMC events is strongly advised. The music video can be downloaded from https://library.pcw.gov.ph/lupang-hinirang-all-women-cast/.

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