The Schools Division Office of Cavite Province held a Division Gender and Development Seminar on September 21, 2023, with the theme, “Empowering Equality and Fostering Gender and Development Sensitivity in DepEd.” The event drew 115 female and 49 male participants, including senior citizens, solo parents, women of reproductive age for the morning session, and members of LGBTQIA+, PWDs, and men from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Bulwagang Tanglaw, SDO Cavite Province.
Ms. Rosemarie D. Torres, the Schools Division Superintendent, delivered an inspirational message to the participants. She emphasized that the seminar aimed to impart knowledge on leading a healthy lifestyle, refreshing participants’ understanding of retirement planning, and acquainting them with two significant laws: The Magna Carta of Women and the Safe Spaces Act. Ms. Torres expressed her gratitude to the seminar’s resource speakers, believing that their expertise would greatly benefit the participants.
Dr. Susan G. Tan, Director, CvSU Gender and Development Resource Center, discussed the Magna Carta of Women. Dr. Tan highlighted that the Philippines was the first Asian country to grant women the right to vote. She explained that the Magna Carta of Women is a localized version of CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and provides women with various rights, including protection from violence, disaster relief, civil, political, and economic rights, equal marriage rights, comprehensive healthcare services, special leave benefits, protection for girl children, and the right to education and training.
In the afternoon session, Dr. Tan discussed Republic Act No. 11313, commonly known as the Safe Spaces Act. She explained that this law was formulated in response to alarming statistics indicating that 88% of women aged 18 to 24 experience street harassment, including catcalling, stalking, inappropriate touching, and gestures. The majority of these incidents (about 70%) involve harassment by strangers, with 58% occurring in public spaces such as streets, major roads, and small alleys. These incidents are most prevalent during daylight hours, from 6 AM to 6 PM. Dr. Tan highlighted the distinction between this act and RA 7877, the Anti-sexual Harassment Act, which primarily addresses issues in workplaces, educational institutions, and training contexts, with enforcement responsibilities resting with higher authorities. (JKRebutazo)
