Gender, Politics, Religious Fundamentalism and Violence

In 1937,

The suffragist movement provided inroads for women to get into politics. Women were finally the right to vote.

The 1935 constitution

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

How many women voted yes in the plebiscite?

447,725 women

Between 1946-1971 how many women were elected to public office?

26 in total

11 representatives, 7 senators, 6 governors, 2 city mayor

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

• reason for detrimental effects on women’s rights is that the control over women is feature of religious fundamentalisms

• women are affected by national and ethnic processes in several major ways; proper behavior, seen as cultural carriers, control of marriage n divorce

Justification for even more violence against women

Purity and honor in the PH culture, shows that a woman’s humanity is measured by her sexual innocence before marriage and heterosexual exclusivity thereafter

Lower homicide rates

Collective beliefs in a more benevolent religious cosmos are positively correlated

Countries exhibit higher homicide rates

Philippines, South Africa and Dominican Republic are more malevolent cosmology

Vaggione (2002)

Proposes the dual nature of Catholic Churches discourse must be addressed affectively

Gender Mainstreaming in Law

Article || 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

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 (1989)

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 (1991)

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

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 (RA6972) 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)

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 not just peripheral programs and projects of the government.

Framework Plan for Women (FPW)

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

Online Gender Based Violence

Harmful acts directed towards and individual or a group of individuals based on their gender that are partially or fully carried out through or enabled by technology

Gender Based Online Sexual Harassment Republic Act No. 11313, Section 12

Physical, psychological and emotional threats, unwanted sexual misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist remarks and comments online whether publicly or through direct and private messages