SSP 101c - Gender and Society Gender, politics, religious fundamentalism and violence

true

The struggles of Filipino women have always been intimately linked with the broad, popular struggles for social justice and sovereignty

male chauvinist macho country

On the surface, the Philippines may be mistaken for a but it is in essence a matriarchal society with many women actually holding sway over families, businesses and politics.

women in katipunan

During the Spanish period,in the struggle against colonialism. They fought alongside the men and acquired significant political skills and know-how. Such struggle enabled women to go beyond the traditional roles (i.e of homemaker and caregiver) which the highly patriarchal Spanish regime had imposed upon them.T

Teodora Alonzo

mother of national hero Jose Rizal is recognized for her independent political views which drew the anger of the Spanish friarsFor refusing to pay land taxes, she was made to walk under heavy guard for some 10 kilometers to the provincial jail and imprisoned for two and a half years.

Gabriela Silang, Gregoria de Jesus, Agueda Kahabagan, Teresa Magbanua, Melchora Aquino, Trinidad Tecson

The list of prominent Filipino women in history

women’s right to education

particularly for a school where women could learn Spanish. Such school was deemed important because the ability to speak Spanish was crucial to education mobility.

1940s

American occupation

American occupation

a significant number of Filipino women had become educated. n the hope of further shedding off their status as second-class citizens, these women enjoined and organized other women to fight for the right to suffrage. Until then, only the literate men were allowed to vote and run for office

Suffragist Movement

provided inroads for women to get into politics. In 1937, women were finally granted the right to vote.

constitution of 1935

had stipulated that the right of suffrage would be extended to women only if 300,000 women voted in its favor during a national plebiscite.

General Council of Women

(whose forerunner was the National Federation of Women’s Clubs in the Philippines) was then established in Manila to direct the plebiscite campaign. Its aim was to draw the support of the broadest number of women and launch various forms of campaign through media and personal connections

447,725

no. of women voted yes in the 1937 plebiscite

Japanese Occupation

women again fought alongside the men. After the war, these same women attempted to participate in the postwar government that was consolidated by the national elections in April 1946 and the proclamation of Philippine Independence of July 4.

26 women

Between 1946 – 1971 (the last year of free elections before Martial Law), o were elected to public office: 11 Representatives, 7 senators, 6 governors and 2 city mayors.

11

Representatives,

7

senators

6

governors

2

city mayors

National Political Party

women attempted to form a but the project never got off the ground. Instead, in the same year, a separate group launched the Women’s Magsaysay-for-President Movement to support the presidential bid of Ramon Magsaysay.

In the early 70s

Filipino women joined the popular resistance against Marcos’ dictatorial rule

Religious Fundamentalism

have been associated with conservative politics characterized by various forms of intolerance ranging from racism, sexism, homophobia, and elitism.

Fundamentalism

when used in religion, connote the imposition of a single interpretation of religious doctrines and hostility toward contradiction of plurality.

Controlling Women’s Bodies and Violence Against Women

- The reason for detrimental effects on women’s rights is that the control over women is a feature of religious fundamentalisms. - Women are affected by national and ethnic processes in several major ways.

Proper behavior

___is used to simplify the difference between those who belong and those who are not.

cultural carriers

Women are seen as ____

marriage and divorce

Control in terms of ____ and ____

Subordination

of women to their husbands bounded by false views on faith

Purity and honor in the Philippine culture

shows that a woman’s humanity is measured by her sexual innocence before marriage and heterosexual exclusivity thereafter.

rape

is seen as the loss of a woman’s worth because it breaks either her sexual purity or her exclusivity.

dishonor

Therefore, this sense of ___ attached to women who choose relations outside those dictated by their culture is the justification of even more violence against women, such as honor killings or severe punishment under law.

groups, tribe, nation, or culture

rape and sexual violence become an assault on her family or her entire community in situations of conflict

Paul (2005)

he found that collective beliefs in a more benevolent religious cosmos are positively correlated to lower homicide rates.

Philippines, South Africa, and the Dominican Republic

are classified along with United States as countries where a more malevolent cosmology is accepted, because beliefs in the devil and hell are embraced alongside beliefs in God and heaven. These countries exhibit higher homicide rates.

Mexico

priests are not allowed to vote

Philippines

– the Catholic church practically dictates policy, especially, around reproductive and sexual rights.

An-Na’im

proposes the concept of secularism as mediation

propose and advocate

Citizens must be able to ____ policy and legislative initiatives on the basis of their religious belief. But such proposals must be within the the context of reasoning that is acceptable to those who do not accept the particular belief system.

nondiscrimination and protection

Such policy must conform to accepted human rights standards including standards of _____ of the minority against the tyranny of the majority

Vaggione (2002)

proposes the dual nature of the catholic church’s discourse must be addressed affectively:

Final interpretation of doctrine

cannot be left to the Catholic hierarchy that has become fundamentalist.

church

must be criticized when it moves in secular spaces by counteracting its junk scientific arguments

bridged

These two polarities must also be —- because the Church has to be made morally liable for its misuse of scientific arguments.

democracy

“Women need ____ in public spaces, in the private arena of religion, and in the intimacy of their desires and consciences if they are to achieve equality.

Article II Section 14 of the 1987 Constitution

“the State recognizes the role of women in nation-building and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men.”

Article 13 Section 14

“State shall protect working women by providing safe and healthful working conditions, taking into account their maternal functions, and such facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them to realize their full potential in the service of the nation”.

women representation

as one of the 9 marginalized sectors)

Local Government Code of 1991

Provides for the election of sectoral representation, including women, in local legislative councils

Party List Law

Provides for the creation of women-oriented or women-based parties to compete under the party-list system. Women is one of the 9 sector identified in the law

Labor Code

Covers issues such as night work prohibition, specifies that employers must provide special facilities for women, prohibition of discrimination against women in respect to terms and conditions of employment, prohibition of discrimination by reason of marriage of a woman worker.

Women in Nation Building Law. Republic Act 7192

is an act promoting the integration of women as full and equal partners of men in development and nation building.

Women in Nation Building Law. Republic Act 7192

a substantial portion of government resources be utilized to support programs and activities for women. T

Women in Nation Building Law. Republic Act 7192

o encourages the full participation and involvement of women in the development process and to remove gender bias in all government regulations and procedures.

1988 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law

Gave Filipino women the right to own land that previously reverted to sons and other male family members.

Republic Act 7688 (1994)

An act giving representation to women in social security commission

1990 Day care Law (RA 6972) and 1996 Paternity Leave Act

Both of which acknowledge that children is both a parental and state responsibility

Anti-Sexual Harassment Law - RA 7877 (1995)

an act declaring sexual harassment unlawful in the employment, education or training environment

Republic Act 7822 (1995)

An act providing assistance to women engaging in micro and cottage business enterprises

Republic Act 8353 (1997)

An act expanding the definition of the crime of rape reclassifying the same as a crime against persons

Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development (1995-2025)

The National Plan for Women that consolidates the action commitments of the Philippines during the Beijing World Conference on Women.

Gender and Development Budget (GAD)

“institutionalizing gender concerns in the mainstream development process and agenda and not just peripheral programs and projects of the government”.

Gender and Development Budget (GAD)

t prescribes for the allocation of 5% of the government agency’s/local government unit’s budget on gender-responsive activities and projectst prescribes for the allocation of 5% of the government agency’s/local government unit’s budget on gender-responsive activities and projects

Framework Plan for Women (FPW)

promoting women’s economic empowerment; advance and protect women human rights; and promote gender responsive governance

Framework Plan for Women (FPW)

This plan identifies the concrete gender issues that will be addressed, pinpoint targets and indicators, name programs, formulates the implementation plan, and set-up tools for monitoring and evaluation

Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women or CEDAW

It is obvious that the Philippines has a well-developed legal framework for gender equality.

ONLINE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

refers to “harmful acts directed towards an individual or a group of individuals based on their gender that are partially or fully carried out through or enabled by technology” (UN Women as cited in Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), 2023)

Republic Act No. 11313, Section 12

GENDER-BASED ONLINE SEXUAL HARASSMENT

GENDER-BASED ONLINE SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Includes acts that use information and communications technology in terrorizing and intimidating victims through physical, psychological, and emotional threats, unwanted sexual misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist remarks and comments online whether publicly or through direct and private messages, invasion of victim’s privacy through cyberstalking and incessant messaging, uploading and sharing without the consent of the victim, any form of media that contains photos, voice, or video with sexual content, any unauthorized recording and sharing of any of the victim’s photos, videos, or any information online, impersonating identities of victims online or posting lies about victims to harm their reputation, or filing, false abuse reports to online platforms to silence victims.

Region VII

Region with highest reported VAW cases

Violence Against Women

VAW

3868

region vii, no of reported VAW cases

2529

region vi, no of reported VAW cases

1918

ncr, no of reported VAW cases

38,824

established vaw desk

92.3%

of barangays in 2019 have vaw desks categorized as follows:

4.8%

basic (20% below)22.

22.3%

Progressive (21% to 50%)

53.4%

Mature (51% - 80%)

19.4%

Ideal (81% - 100%)

16,251

physical injuries

2162

rape

362

attempted rape

2085

acts of lasciviousness