promoting grrwdp 2011

PKKK Gender-Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) 2011-2016

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GENDER-RESPONSIVE RURAL WOMEN DEVELOPMENT PLAN (GRRWDP)

Forwarding a Gender Responsive Governance Proposal for 2011-20161

ural women are responsible for more than half of the world food production; in the Philippines, rural women spend 11 to 16 hours a day in productive and reproductive

worki.e. acquiring farming/fishing capital (usually through credit), carrying out planting activities, pre- and post-harvest fishing activities, marketing the primary harvest and backyard produce/livestock, and providing for their household's daily survival needs. Domestic work is no easy task considering activities like preparing farm tools/fish gears and food for farm/fish workers, fetching water, gardening, foraging, wood gathering, raising poultry and livestock, and other livelihood activities. The situation is more difficult for women during times of economic, food and climate crises, i.e. rural womens experiences range from earning P50/day to none at all, from accessing multiple microcredit loans just to cope with daily needs (at the risk of severe indebtedness), from taking odd jobs within the community to seeking work in urban centers (at the risk of being trafficked and exploited), from spending eleven hours to sixteen hours a day in food provisioning and augmenting family income, among other situations. The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Article 14) affirms the rural womens role of ensuring the "economic survival of their families". But for a large number of women farmers, fishers, rural informal workers, and indigenous women, whose work are often unpaid and undervalued, such roles prove to be a burden considering the stagnation of development and unequal distribution of resources that remain widespread in rural areas today. In response, the Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK) forwards its vision of development and concrete proposals for gender-responsive governance, which would basically address the wide-ranging needs and concerns of the rural women. Rural Women Agenda and the GRRWDP: Rural Womens Voice2 The Rural Women Agenda voices out the transformative goals that rural women want to see and feel from Development a Vision of society that enjoys food self-sufficiency, sustainable development through sustainable agriculture and fishing, safe environment, democratic control and stewardship over land and water resources, and most of all, equality and non-discrimination.

1 This proposed Framework Plan consolidates the experiences of the Pambansang Koalisyon ng

Kababaihan sa Kanayunan (PKKK), especially with its implementation of advocacy-campaigns on CEDAW Sectoral and Local Application and Gender-Responsive Governance. 2 The Rural Women Agenda also represents a process of continual validation of the rural womens realities

through coalition building and womens organizing among PKKKs 220 member organizations in 42 provincial coalitions.

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Gender Responsive Governance: as defined by the Rural Women CEDAW is the key instrument that would address rural womens needs and concerns, especially in making duty bearers accountable to rural womens rights. In PKKK consultations, rural women put premium on governments accountability to CEDAW through gender responsive governance, which the rural women defined as follows:

Batas o polisiyang tumutugon

sa karapatang pantao at karapatan ng kababaihan; Polisiya at implementasyon

ng polisiya na nagreresulta sa programang may patas na trato sa lalaki at babae; Proseso ng pamamahala na

kumikilala sa boses at partisipasyon ng kababaihan, at pagiging bahagi ng local special bodies; Nagdudulot ng pagbabago sa

kalagayan ng diskriminasyon, nagpapalakas sa kakayanan at nagsasakapangyarihan (empowerment) ng kababaihan


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The Rural Women Agenda covers the following:

(1) Fulfillment of RuralWomens Property Rights in Agrarian Reform; (2) Fulfillment of Rural Womens Property Rights in Ancestral Domains; (3) Fulfillment of Rural Womens Property Rights to Coastal Resources; (4) Access to Basic Services and Social Protection, Safe and Adequate Food and Potable

Water, and Rights to Fair Wages and Just Conditions of Work; (5) Access to Sustainable and Women-Friendly Agriculture and Fishery Support Services; (6) Representation and Participation in the Implementation of Gender and Development

(GAD) Programs and Local Sectoral Representation (LSR); (7) Fulfillment of Reproductive Rights and Protection from all forms of Violence and

other oppressive gender relations; (8) Fulfillment of Rural Womens Peace Agenda, especially in Mindanao; and (9) Fulfillment of Right to Safe Environment and Protection from impact of Climate

Change. It is along this agenda that the following Gender Responsive Rural Women Development Plan (GRRWDP) is outlined and presented with gender equality indicators, statement of concerns, proposed temporary special measures (TSMs), and corresponding menu of activities. TSMs are defined by the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) as a variety of legislative, executive, administrative, and regulatory instruments, policies, and practices aimed at accelerating this de facto equality of women in specific areas. These measures shall not be considered discriminatory but shall in no way entail as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards. They shall be discontinued when their objectives have been achieved. Within the gender-responsive governance frame, the idea of Temporary Special Measures is used to identify feasible actions to progressively realize gender equality both in rural areas and in national development. In the midst of economic climate and food crises, these TSMs can serve as social protection mechanisms for the rural women. It must be noted that the processes of identifying these indicators, concerns, proposed TSMs, and corresponding activities were broadly participatory and consultative. The selection of these indicators was guided by the experience of women (how they understood their rights and how they would want to claim these rights), along with available qualitative and quantitative information. At the onset, key indicators to measure equality were evident, i.e. participation and representation in decision-making structures, access to services, GAD budget performance, policies (eg. Magna Carta of Women), and development indices.

Note: In pushing for a comprehensive Rural Women and Food Self-sufficiency Program The government is accountable to the implementation of the Magna Carta of Women (MCW,

RA 9710), being the enabling law of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

Chapter V of MCW covers the Rights and Empowerment of Marginalized Sectors; the marginalized women include women small farmers, farm workers, fishers, indigenous women and workers employed in informal employment

Section 20. Food Security and Productive Resources of RA 9710 provides that the State recognizes the contribution of women to food production and shall ensure its sustainability and sufficiency, including in the context of climate change, with the active participation of women; thereby listing the requirements and responsibilities of government in support of womens food self-sufficiency roles (See attachment on Rule V, Sec 23 of the IRR)


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GRRWDP: A proposal for Development 2011-2016

1. Recognition of Women as Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries

Gender Equality Indicators

Concerns Strategies and TSMs Activities

a. Increased number of women agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs); Womens name is indicated as either owner or co-owner in the CLOA

Womens exclusion in the process of identifying agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs)

Organize and capacitate women ARBs concerning the new law (RA9700) especially in the first two years of its implementation

Provincial and municipal rural women consultations and policy dialogues in the first half of 2011

Issuance of the Administrative Order on Gender Equality and CARPER

Define a Comprehensive Rural Womens Program at the provincial level, apart from the installation of the so-called Womens Desks

LTI issues: Non-installation of CLOA holders, Non-issuance and cancellation of CLOAs, Unjust leaseback agreements

Ensure womens representation in policy dialogues Ensure womens access to legal documents

Monitor/ document womens status in these issues, especially cases of women ARBs who have reverted back to farm worker status in plantations Tackle/Provide venues for LTI concerns in the provincial rural women consultations

b. Representation of women and women farmers interests in Agrarian Reform Councils

Womens subordination in entitlements to the land, support services (credit and training), and decision-making

Issuance of the Administrative Order on Gender Equality and CARPER (includes provision pertaining to womens representation in PARC/PARCOM/BARC should not be less 20%) Guidelines for considering womens representation to PARC/PARCOM/BARC should be on the basis of the strength of the organization (membership and spread) and not on endorsements by LGUs and MAROs.

Issue guidelines for PARCOM reorganization Capacity building for rural women organizations, especially among women ARBs and leaders Installation of womens desks at the community level

2. Recognition of Women Fishers



a. Increase in the registration of women fishers

Gender biases, economic barriers, and information asymmetry deter women from registering as fisherfolk

Strict implementation of Fish code at the local level, with emphasis on non-discriminatory practices;

IEC on municipal registration and how to make MFO gender responsive (LGUs)

Issue separate Administrative guidelines on Women Fishers Registration, providing women-friendly mechanisms for implementation:

Nationwide campaign for women fishers registration; conduct of on-site registration processes Monitoring/ documentation on impact of fisherfolk


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waiving of registration fees for women whose husbands are already registered as fishers

LGU-subsidized registration fees

gender sensitive registration forms

registration for women fishers (gathering positive experiences that would convince other women on the benefits of being recognized and registered)

b. Participation and representation of women and women fishers interests in FARMCs

FARMCs in some areas are not even convened Womens interests are hardly represented in MFARMCs, IFARMCs, NFARMC; womens representation is mostly felt at the barangay/BFARMC level

Issue guidelines on the composition of the FARMCs, indicating womens representation should comprise 30-40% of the membership

Conduct policy review vis--vis compliance to the Magna Carta of Women Conduct policy dialogues with women fishers group and women members of the FARMCs Capacity building for women fishers organizations and women members of mixed fishers organizations

LGUs should recognize, support, and promote women managed areas (WMAs) in the coastal zones

LGUs should incorporate WMAs in comprehensive programs on coastal resource management and even in community-based ecotourism programs

3. Indigenous Women and Peace



a. Increased participation of indigenous women in processes concerning peace and development

Severe conditions of malnutrition, maternal and infant mortality, illiteracy, and food insecurity, deter women from engaging political and democratic processes (like organizing women and participation in peace talks)

Support indigenous women as community-based health workers; support promotion of indigenous health practices Provide culturally-sensitive health programs within far-flung indigenous communities Support indigenous food production practices at the village level

Partnership with indigenous womens groups in facilitating health and literacy programs in tribal groups Dialogues with tribal leaders on health conditions and practices Provide sustainable and culturally sensitive livelihood programs for tribal women, eg. community seed-banking, nurseries, livestock dispersal

Non-recognition of indigenous womens roles in managing conflicts in tribal communities, especially in dealing with VAWC-related cases

Recognize and support women tribal leaders who facilitate conflict resolution (official personality in bgy structure, transportation, food allowance) LGU-organized tribal leaders/council should respect the tribal processes asserted by indigenous womens groups in resolving VAWC related cases

Monitoring/documentation of cases of conflicts, especially VAWC-related cases, that were settled/mediated by women tribal leaders (treat this contribution as part of maintaining peace and security in communities) Monitoring and participation of IP Womens Agenda in the National Action Plan for Peace


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b. Increased participation in the mechanisms for the right to self-determination, esp. in the protection of the ancestral domain from all forms of destructive activities like mining, logging, plantations.

Displacement of women from their livelihoods, sources of indigenous medicines and food, places of worship. Indigenous women are often left out in CADC application processes and in the decision-making concerning development projects in ancestral lands.

Consolidate indigenous women and strengthen capacity to organize and engage tribal governance processes and structures Capacity building of Indigenous Women leaders on peace, FPIC and CADT application processes

Establish mechanism that would respond to indigenous womens situation in times affected by development projects and other extractive activities Registration and strengthening of IP women orgs

c. Decreased incidence of early arranged marriages

Tribal practices of early marriage prevail (as young as 9 to 11 years old).

Community-based IP women-led research and advocacy campaign on early marriages.

Target at least 3 tribal groups for early marriage research and advocacy in Mindanao.

4. Food Self-Sufficiency through Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries



a. Women-friendly technologies accessed by poor rural women

Less than 30% of rural women are able to access government programs and services;

19% access to seeds,

13% access to calamity assistance,

18% access to training

15% access to extension services.

9% access to (government facilitated) production capital.

less than 1/2 have social security

(Women in Agriculture Study, CSI 2008)

Rural women spend 11 to 16 hours in productive and reproductive work

1-3 hours: looking/foraging for food, fuel and fetching water

6 hours: backyard gardening, poultry, livestock

Community seed banking for women; Capacity building programs led by organized women (RICs + other organizations); involve and tap community-based women experts Design Implementation Plan for Magna Carta of Women Food Security provisions (IRR Rule V, Sec 23), e.g. Design and promote commercial use of improved post-harvest processing facilities and equipment among women and men, farmer-groups, processors and small-holder entrepreneurs to reduce post-harvest losses and increase income; Design and promote the use of women-friendly fishing gears and post-harvest facilities and equipment

Create and develop a pool of rural women trainers for sustainable agriculture and fishing, including capacities for post-harvest processing Allocate GAD budget for community seed banking facilities/processes for women farmers

Democratize womens access to the following programs, i.e. rotate list of beneficiaries and not limited to the RICs: *traditionally/locally adapted vegetable seeds *small irrigation facilities and rainwater harvesting facilities * composting facilities and equipment for organic fertilizer production

Monitor targeted and actual women beneficiaries


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b. Increased participation in mechanisms related to food security, land use planning, land/water use conversions, and agricultural/fisheries investments.

Displacement of women from their livelihoods and food sources. Women are often left out in decision-making processes; decisions disregard impact of conversion on household health and survival.

Consolidate rural women and strengthen capacity to organize and engage decision-making structures. Observe gender-fair representation in the agriculture and fisheries councils (Magna Carta of Women state: Concerned agencies, in cooperation with womens organizations, shall implement capability-building and leadership formation programs as well as undertake affirmative action measures to enable grassroots women leaders to effectively participate in the decision and policy-making bodies in their respective sectors)

Ensure guidelines for womens participation in land use policies and processes.

Registration and strengthening of rural women orgs; ensure gender balance in farmers and fishers associations AO guidelines on land/water use conversion and agricultural/fisheries investments should include consultation with women.

5. Protection of the Environment and Womens Protection from impacts of climate change



a. Protection for rural women in times of disasters and climate change

Insecurity and vulnerability of sources of livelihood (farming and fishing) to climate change and disasters

Mechanisms for survival fund of women affected by disasters, i.e. covering economic support and credit for livelihood (at least 10% of the Disaster and Emergency Funds)

Identify and account fund sources for rural women survival fund in times of disasters

Special needs of women are often not fully attended in rehabilitation or evacuation centers

Promote gender sensitive guidelines in executing relief and rehabilitation services

Training for rural women on disaster preparedness and gender sensitive response to disasters

Health problems due to flooding; increased number of rural women are afflicted with water-borne diseases

Increased budget for health programs for women

Establish baseline data of affected women; identify preventive measures (to serve as basis for increase in the health budget)

b. Increased capacity of women to cope and adapt to impact of disasters and climate change

Women are multiple burdened and often fall victim to further indebtedness (by availing multiple credit from MFIs) as way of coping with impact of disasters and climate change.

Capacity building on disaster risk management and climate change adaptation for rural women

Support local training on sustainable agriculture, organic farming, livestock to sustain food production Identify and account fund sources for rural women survival fund in times of disasters

c. Participation of women in decision-making related to climate change (adaptation strategies and financing)

Gender issues are often not articulated in mainstream adaptation strategies related to sectors of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, water and health.

Ensure womens representation in all decision making bodies that tackle climate change adaptation

Monitor local special bodies that are mandated to address climate change in their respective sectors/concerns Provide guidelines for womens representation in


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the Environment Codes proposed in provinces and municipalities (DILG)

6. Participation in local special bodies, GAD utilization



a. Increased participation of marginalized/poor rural women in the governance bodies

Barriers to womens participation include: * exclusion due to political affiliations or being associated with the opposition party * non-accreditation due to inconsistent processes/guidelines (varying information did not help) * non-accreditation due to rigid requirements (eg. audited financial statement) * womens groups are encouraged by LGUs to join government-organized formations

Womens assembly to be participated in by all women organizations in the province/city/municipality, to discuss the various entry points for peoples/womens participation in local governance Review or Legislate GAD Codes that incorporate and observe provisions of the Magna Carta of Women (especially Chapter V on marginalized women) Audited financial statements should be optional for organizations applying for accreditation; this should be waived for women organizations representing the marginalized sectors

Inventory of LGUs that have convened the womens assembly; Monitoring of accredited groups of women and assess sectoral representations Capacity building for all women organizations in relation to local governance Inventory of LGUs with GAD Codes and respective IRRs; Monitoring if appropriate complementation with the MCW have been carried out Set-up grievance mechanisms for womens organizations that have been discriminated in the process of seeking accreditation or participation in local special bodies

b. Equitable utilization of the GAD budget resources

Women organizations tend to compete on limited/meager GAD Budget; not all womens groups are aware of the GAD budget and how to access its programs

Reporting of the GAD plan and budget to a Barangay Womens Assembly; ensuring participation of all existing peoples organizations

Issue guidelines on Barangay accounting and reporting of the GAD Plan and Budget (DILG/PCW)

c. Increased number of rural women holding elective positions

Men still dominate in the elective positions; womens participation in local elections are often impeded by traditional politics

Capacity building for women leaders who display interest and potential to participate in local governance and politics.

Design training program for women leaders in politics; tap non-government organizations to train rural women who plan to engage local (barangay/municipal) elections.

7. Anti-VAWC Mechanisms in the rural areas



a. Increased support to

the reported VAWC cases; i.e. provided with legal remedies, survivors were able to claim assistance (legal, health, psycho-social, financial services)

Of the number of VAWC cases received/monitored by PKKK, less than 10% were able to pursue justice due to limited means and little access to support/services

Establish crisis centers that are accessible to rural areas (upland and fishing communities); Guidelines for anti-VAWC desks should include the allocation of budget necessary for immediate financial support needed by the women victims Ensure crisis centers have free medical support, food, counseling, safe

Establish referral system* for rural women organizations that conduct monitoring of VAWC cases and provide assistance to victims/survivors (IACRW) *referral system includes networks for capacity building, service providers for the VAWC survivors needs, livelihood support for the survivors family


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environment, and other services

b. Community-based support systems promote preventive information campaigns on VAWC and conduct active documentation of VAWC cases in the rural areas

Undocumented cases of VAWC and trafficking prevail, despite being public knowledge within the community VAWC have become accepted in the communitys culture/way of living

Create community-based multi-sectoral committees in monitoring VAWC cases and in providing immediate assistance especially in the process of obtaining BPOs.

Conduct information campaign on the RA9262, MCW and other womens rights in all barangays Convene community-based support groups that plan information campaigns, design quick interventions and provide support to victims of VAWC

c. Anti-VAWC campaign is linked with over-all womens health concerns

Womens right to health cannot be fulfilled as long as VAWC prevails

Support information campaign on universalizing health care and anti-VAWC

Launch program campaigns that integrate anti-VAWC with womens health programs in the barangays (DILG/DOH)

8. Right to Health



a. Reduced maternal mortality rates, especially in the rural areas

Rural womens access to maternal health services is very miserable , especially in remote areas like upland, island, tribal communities

Provincial Health Plan on women should consider situations in the remote areas and adopt pro-active strategies like regular community visits (not one-time medical missions) Allocate funds for rural womens reproductive health care Advocate for the implementation of the DOH AO on Contraceptive Self Reliance (CSR), where the LGUs are mandated to provide for contraceptive commodities in local health units (thru the RHUs and City Health Offices)

Mapping of available health services in the far-flung barrios (nature and quality); identify health needs of the rural women Conduct free reproductive check up for women, especially pap smear Education campaign on womens rights to health, reproductive health, nutrition and sanitation

b. Improved access to Philhealth benefits, especially maternal and neonatal services

Less than 50% have access to health insurance among rural women; less than 10% for women landless workers

Support to health insurance of rural women, expand coverage to include hospitalization but other reproductive health care needs

Conduct consultations and policy reviews of Philhealth coverage among rural women Dialogue with the Regional DOLE on social protection and occupation safety hazards for farm workers

c. Improved access to primary health care services

No updated and localized health program: hospital and dental services, botika sa barangay Impoverished women have low health-seeking behavior (can be attributed to the stereotype of being matiisin)

Provincial Health Plan and upgrading of provincial hospital facilities; Inclusion of health programs in the Development Plans Targeted information campaigns for marginalized and impoverished women

Universal Health Orientation and education campaign in every Barangay Launch community-based health programs


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Annex A

MAGNA CARTA OF WOMEN (RA 9710) IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS (IRR) RULE V

RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT OF MARGINALIZED SECTORS SECTION 23. Food Security and Productive Resources The State recognizes the contribution of women to food production and shall ensure its sustainability and sufficiency, including in the context of climate change, with the active participation of women. Towards this end, the State shall guarantee, at all times, the availability in the market of safe and health-giving food to satisfy the dietary needs of the population, giving particular attention to the specific needs of poor girl-children and marginalized women, especially pregnant and lactating mothers and their young children. The Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with other concerned departments, LGUs, and stakeholders shall:

(a) undertake programs and projects on food security that are gender- responsive; (b) recognize women as farmers and fisherfolk and give them equal opportunities to participate

in programs and projects; (c) ensure the active and direct participation of rural womens groups, other than Rural

Improvement Clubs, in policy and program formulation, planning and designing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of DA programs at the local levels including, but not limited to, the rice master plan;

(d) ensure that girl-children and women benefit from all DA programs; (e) ensure food safety by strengthening food management, control and regulatory systems,

including provision of necessary facilities; and (f) promote community-based seed banking initiated and operated by women and barangay level

sustainable resource management. LGUs shall formulate and implement a community-based food security plan that shall respect religious and cultural practices. The plan shall be integrated into the development plans of the LGUs to ensure that it is funded and implemented. Womens groups shall actively participate in planning and designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the plan. A. Right to Food 1. The DA shall:

a. In coordination with other agencies, involve women in food production, processing, and marketing programs;

b. In coordination with Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI), provide updated, useful information and gender-sensitive technologies for production, processing, and marketing of food products;

c. In coordination with the LGUs, strengthen capacities of women by designing and implementing appropriate training programs for food security;

d. Involve women in food security program development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; and

e. Promote the use of organic fertilizer in food production. 2. The DTI and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in coordination with other concerned agencies, shall provide timely and accurate information on food safety such as, but not limited to, labeling and traceability. 3. The DOST, Department of Energy (DOE), DA and other concerned agencies shall encourage the use of alternative or renewable energy in food production. B. Right to Resources for Food Production 1. Equal status shall be given to women and men, whether married or not, in the titling of the land and issuance of stewardship contracts and patents. Further:

a. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall issue the Emancipation Patent (EP) and Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), to all qualified beneficiaries regardless of


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sex, civil status, or physical condition. In order to protect the rights of legally married spouses where properties form part of the conjugalpartnership of gains or absolute community property, the names of both shall appear in the EP and CLOA preceded by the word spouses. In unions where parties are not legally married, the names of both parties shall likewise appear in EP and CLOA with the conjunctive word and between their names;

b. DAR shall screen bonafide agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). As such, either spouse or party in a relationship who individually possess qualifications shall have the right to identification, screening and selection of ARBs;

c. In no case shall a woman be excluded either in the titling of the land or issuance of stewardship contracts and patents on the account of sex, being married, or being in a union without marriage to an agrarian reform beneficiary;

d. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall issue Certificate of Stewardships in the name of both spouses who shall then be co-stewards of the land;

e. The DENR shall ensure that women, regardless of civil status, shall enjoy equal rights as men in the filing, acceptance, processing, and approval of public land applications;

f. All concerned agencies shall review and revise their judicial and administrative forms, harmonize their database, and generate sex-disaggregated information; and

g. The Land Registration Authority (LRA) shall comply with the provisions of the Act and these Rules and Regulations.

2. Equal treatment shall be given to women and men beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program, wherein the vested right of a woman agrarian reform beneficiary is defined by a woman's relationship to tillage, i.e., her direct and indirect contribution to the development of the land. Further:

a. The DAR, in coordination with other concerned agencies, shall develop guidelines that will recognize womens paid and unpaid work as bases for her direct and indirect contribution in the development of the land; and

b. Both spouses and parties shall be accorded equal rights and access in availing of support services as provided for in agrarian reform laws, without discrimination of sex. It shall be the joint and mutual obligation and responsibility of both spouses and parties that the support services extended to them by DAR, DA, and other concerned agencies be fully and exclusively utilized for the intended purpose.

3. Customary rights of women to the land, including access to and control of the fruits and benefits, shall be recognized in circumstances where private ownership is not possible, such as ancestral domain claims. Further:

a. Property rights under customary laws shall be respected as long as they are not discriminatory to women;

b. The management and utilization of forest resources shall provide equal opportunities for men and women to participate and share in attendant responsibilities and benefits;

c. In developing Comprehensive Development and Management Plans (CDMP), Industrial Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) holders shall integrate gender concerns including the equitable participation of women in implementing the CDMP and enjoying the fruits thereof; and

d. The DA, in coordination with NCIP and other concerned agencies, shall promote the application of indigenous knowledge and practices on food production and preservation.

4. Information and assistance in claiming rights to the land shall be made available to women at all times. All concerned agencies with land management programs shall develop programs to provide information, education and communication, and assistance in claiming rights. 5. Equal rights of women to the enjoyment, use, and management of land, water, and other natural resources within their communities or ancestral domains shall be guaranteed. Further:

a. Women shall participate in the management of protected areas; b. The Department of Tourism (DOT) shall promote community-managed, eco-tourism projects

participated by women stakeholders from the community; and c. Government agencies in-charge of irrigation and watershed management shall provide access

to small irrigation and rainwater harvesting facilities as well as programs on rehabilitation of watershed areas to small women farmers.

6. Equal access to the use and management of fisheries and aquatic resources, and all the rights and benefits accruing to stakeholders in the fishing industry shall be guaranteed. Further:

a. The DA, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), in coordination with National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC), shall


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assist the LGUs in developing a standard registration form for municipal fisherfolk, fishing vessels and gears as stated in Section 19 of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998. The Registry of Municipal Fisherfolk shall serve as basis for the identification of priority municipal fisherfolk who shall be allowed to fish within the municipal waters;

b. LGUs shall maintain an updated database of women fisherfolk that may be accessed by BFAR, PCW and other interested institutions for program development and policy-making; and

c. Women fisherfolk shall be entitled to benefits and privileges accorded to other workers under the Labor Code, Social Security System (SSS) and other laws.

7. Equal status shall be given to women and men in the issuance of stewardship or lease agreements and other fishery rights that may be granted for the use and management of coastal and aquatic resources. In the same manner, women's organizations shall be given equal treatment as with other marginalized fishers organizations in the issuance of stewardship or lease agreements or other fishery rights for the use and management of such coastal and aquatic resources which may include providing support to womenengaged coastal resources. The LGUs and BFAR shall ensure the full participation of women in the planning and designing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of coastal resource management programs; and designate coastal areas to be managed by women. 8. There shall be no discrimination against women in the deputization of fish wardens. Towards this end, the LGUs shall:

a. Deputize women who are already functioning as fish wardens within six (6) months upon adoption of these Rules and Regulations;

b. Provide venues where womens roles as effective fish wardens will be recognized; c. Provide capacity development training for women fish wardens; and d. Provide social and legal protection for all deputized fish wardens.

9. Women-friendly and sustainable agriculture technology shall be designed based on accessibility and viability in consultation with womens organizations. Further:

a. All concerned agencies involved in research and development, including SUCs and higher education institutions (HEIs), shall allocate budget for basic and applied research to develop and promote women-friendly technologies;

b. The DA-Bureau of Post-Harvest Research and Extension (BPRE) shall design and promote the commercial use of improved post-harvest processing facilities and equipment of selected commercial crops among women and men, farmer-groups, processors and small-holder entrepreneurs to reduce post-harvest losses and increase income derived from value-added processing operations;

c. The BFAR and Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) shall design and promote the use of women-friendly fishing gears and post-harvest facilities and equipment;

d. The National Dairy Authority (NDA) shall design and promote women-friendly dairy technologies;

e. The DOST shall promote appropriate women friendly technologies and support women inventors and scientists;

f. The DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) shall include sustainable agriculture practices and technologies, including varietal selection and community seedbanking in its training programs;

g. DA and LGUs shall ensure participation of rural women by tapping existing peoples organizations, NGOs and rural women groups in their training on food production with emphasis on sustainable agriculture and fisheries such as but not limited to production of organic inputs and fertilizers, natural farming and vermi-composting, and other technologies.

10. Access to small farmer-based and controlled seeds production and distribution shall be ensured and protected. Towards this end, the DA shall:

a. Provide access to seeds production, including both traditional and locally adapted varieties, planting materials, fingerlings, and broodstocks for women small farmers and fisherfolks;

b. Include all womens organizations in its indigenous vegetables production projects; c. Ensure access of small farmers and fisherfolk in seeds production and distribution as well as

improved breed of animals; d. Provide access to seed technology updates; and e. Together with LGUs, develop and implement community seed banking and farmer-to-farmer

seed exchange.


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11. Indigenous practices of women in seed storage and cultivation shall be recognized, encouraged, and protected. Towards this end, the NCIP and concerned agencies shall:

a. Provide information on indigenous farming and fishing practices; and b. Promote and improve indigenous knowledge and practices.

12. Equal rights shall be given to women to be members of farmers' organizations to ensure wider access to and control of the means of production. Further:

a. DA, DTI, and other concerned agencies shall provide support for marketing, credit, technologies, and training for women; and

b. Ensure membership of marginalized women in councils for sustainable development that are created pursuant to existing laws.

13. Provide opportunities for empowering women fishers to be involved in the control and management, not only of the catch and production of aquamarine resources but also, to engage in entrepreneurial activities which will add value to production and marketing ventures. For this purpose, the DA shall undertake the following:

a. Provide capability building program to promote greater bankability and worthiness of municipal and small scale women commercial fishers. Such program shall include organizing activities, technology transfer, and skills training related to commercial fishing as well as credit management. Groups and cooperatives organized under the program shall have priority access over credit and other

funds for women fisherfolk; b. Conduct information campaign to promote the capability-building and credit programs to

women fisherfolk; and c. Open special credit windows in existing government financing institutions for women

fisherfolk. 14. Provide economic opportunities for the indigenous and rural women particularly access to market for their produce. Inthe enforcement of the foregoing, the requirements of law, such as free and prior informed consent, shall be observed at all times. Further:

a. DA, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), DAR, and LGUs shall ensure access and links of production areas to markets and stimulate economic activities in the communities as well as provide better access to social services by constructing farm-to-market roads in the rural areas; and

b. DA, DTI, TESDA, NCIP, DENR, and SUCs/ HEIs shall provide trainings on marketing of agricultural and forestry products to ensure delivery of produce. These include market opportunity awareness, technology transfer on processing, labeling, and packaging.


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Annex B

Rural Women and Gender Responsive Governance

ural women vary from one another according to what they do to live, where they are, what relationships they are in, what opportunities they have access to and what

decisions they are able to make. For this reason a woman fisher copes differently from a woman farmer; a woman upland farmer strategizes differently from a woman farmer in the lowland; and indigenous women vary in beliefs and actions as defined by their communitys cultural, economic and political systems. On the other hand, rural women do share common experiences such as dependence on and nurturing of the natural resources, seasonality of work, food provisioning roles in the family; unfortunately, almost always in the context of extreme marginalization and invisibility in rural development policies. Rural women (in the South) often experience challenges posed by their gender as well as by their class. Every day, a large number of women farmers, fishers, rural informal workers, and indigenous women take on the role of ensuring the "economic survival of their families" as affirmed by the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against Women (CEDAW Article 14). Often unpaid and undervalued, such roles prove to be a burden considering the stagnation of development and unequal distribution of resources that remain widespread in rural areas today. Despite the claim that rural women are responsible for more than half of the world food production, much remains to be dissatisfied about. As how UNFPA summarized it; women food producers are "handicapped" in three major areas, i.e. barriers in inheritance or property ownership, systematic neglect and marginalization of their activities, and limited chances to maximize economic opportunities. These conditions can be considered as barriers to rural women's enjoyment of their strategic gender interests and economic justice concerns. For the rural women, survival needs (including food provisioning) are predisposed by their strategic needs, i.e. access to and control over resources; While rural women's gender justice concerns are heavily influenced by economic justice concerns, i.e. rural poverty define the contours of rural women's gender-based struggles, identities and relations.3

Thus, an effective rural women-specific development policy requires a responsive approach to these barriers and an encompassing plan to the wide-ranging needs and concerns of our rural women. The UN CEDAW confirmed this when it recommended to the Philippines:

The Committee calls on the State party to pay special attention to the needs of rural women, indigenous women and Muslim women living in the autonomous region of Muslim Mindanao, ensuring that they have access to health care, social security, education, clean water and sanitation services, fertile land, income-generation opportunities and participation in decision-making processes. The Committee recommends that the State party ensures womens access to justice through the provision of legal aid and takes steps to prosecute perpetrators of violence against them. It also encourages the State party to provide increased educational opportunities to Muslim girls to discourage early marriages. The Committee requests the State party to include in its next report sex-disaggregated data and information on the de facto position of rural, indigenous and Muslim women, and on the impact of measures taken and results achieved with policies and programmes implemented for these groups of women. (UN CEDAW Concluding Comments, 25 August 2006)

Gender Responsive Governance: as defined by the Rural Women CEDAW is the key instrument that would address rural womens needs and concerns, especially in making duty bearers accountable to rural womens rights. In PKKK consultations, rural women put premium on governments accountability to CEDAW through gender responsive governance, which the rural women defined as follows:

Batas o polisiyang tumutugon sa karapatang pantao at karapatan ng kababaihan; Polisiya at implementasyon ng polisiya na nagreresulta sa programang may patas na trato sa lalaki

at babae;

3 Leyesa, M.D. Gender and Governance: The Womens Voice of Resistance to the Philippine Agricultural Trade Policy. Unpublished Paper. 27 June 2008

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Proseso ng pamamahala na kumikilala sa boses at partisipasyon ng kababaihan, at pagiging bahagi ng local special bodies;

Nagdudulot ng pagbabago sa kalagayan ng diskriminasyon, nagpapalakas sa kakayanan at nagsasakapangyarihan (empowerment) ng kababaihan

These standards/definitions guide the strategies for the proposed GRRWDP. But the rural women are aware that for gender responsive governance to take place there is the need to challenge the exercise of power in order to influence or exact accountability from social institutions, most especially from government agencies. PKKK believes that key strategy for this is to ensure that womens voices are heard and recognized, whether in the form of resistance or affirmation.

As Box 1 illustrates, gender-responsive governance is both a process and end-result it is about taking steps to achieve equality and eliminate discrimination in the allocation of resources and it is also about achieving indicatives of change.

Box 1. Framework of Analysis

Again, these indicators with respect to gender equality are situated and not delinked from the sectoral context and experiences of rural women. A woman endowed with land capital understands property rights differently from a wage-subsistent female agricultural worker. Women farmers interest on land titling is significantly different from land (and coastal water) issues of fisherwomen, as well as from ancestral domain concerns of indigenous women. Therefore, both indicators (status) and temporary special measures (actions) are shaped by the sectoral contexts of rural women subgroups. As bases for the GRRWDP, a comprehensive CEDAW-guided investigation of the womens situation was conducted among nine (9) provincial coalitions that more or less represent core issues of the Rural Women Agenda. The main areas of inquiry for the CEDAW monitoring:

What is the situation of rural women (vis--vis indicators of gender equality) in the different themes?

What are the barriers to achieving gender equality (discrimination)? What are hindering and facilitating factors?

What were the responses/actions of government (local to national) to address rural womens concerns?

What were the actions taken by rural women to promote their rights? How do they understand their rights?

What can be done in the coming year to promote, protect and fulfill womens rights?4

4 PKKK 2010, Draft Paper on Rural Women CEDAW Monitoring (A compilation of 9 Thematic Papers on the

Rural Women Agenda).

promoting grrwdp 2011

Documents

rural women cedaw

rural women agenda

rural areas

rural womens voice2

indigenous women

rural informal workers

women cedaw article

genderresponsive governance