Gender and Governance

Dr. Socorro L. ReyesRegional Governance AdviserCenter for Legislative Development

What Is Governance?

From a development perspective, governance stresses:

accountability of public officials;

citizen participation in design and implementation of public programs and projects;

predictability and consistency in the application of laws, regulations, policies, and procedures; and

transparency in disclosure of information regarding government rules, regulations, and decisions.

Gender and Governance

Governance is the process of formulation and implementation of gender responsive, inclusive and authoritative policy decisions in the effective and efficient management of a country’s affairs and resources.

It refers to the advocacy and inclusion of gender issues in the policy agenda resulting in gender-responsive policy decisions and resource allocation and gender-sensitive service delivery.

Gender and Governance Issues

Strengthening Women’s Leadership and Participation,

Mainstreaming Gender in Public Resource Management

Removing Gender Bias in Access to Justice

Enhancing Gender-Responsiveness and Accountability in Service Delivery, and

Reform of Gender Discriminatory Laws and initiation of Gender Equality Legislation.

Women’s Leadership and Political Participation

Numbers: in 2010 elections, 2 out of 12 Senators or 16.7% are women; 48 out of 222 Representatives or 21.6% are women; 6 out of 21 or 28.5% of party list representatives are women.

Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda:

1. Anti-Prostitution Bill  

2. Household Workers’ Bill

3. Local Sectoral Representation Bill

4. Marital Infidelity Bill

5. Reproductive Health Billl

Public Resource Management

Mainstreaming gender in public resource management requires the use of gender-responsive budgeting to ensure that public funds are raised, allocated, spent and audited based on how they affect women and men, especially the poor women and disadvantaged groups .

In Davao del Norte, the Gender and Development budget was made an integral part of regular budget allocation of the province.

Access to Justice

Factors that block women’s Access to Justice :(i) lack of gender-sensitive laws to protect their rights; (ii) lack of awareness of their rights under the law; (iii) lack of access to adequate legal assistance; (iv) gender bias or indifference of police, judges or court officers; (v) long, tedious and expensive process of seeking redress;

Role of Women’s Advocacy Groups: CEDAW Watch, Philippines

Accountability in Service Delivery

The efficient delivery of basic social services is the ultimate test of government’s accountability to its people, especially the poor, excluded and discriminated. While the failure to deliver health and education affects all, its impact on women is different from men.

In the Philippines, the Family Planning Survey (FPS) conducted by NSO in 2006 revealed that for every 100,000 births, 162 women die during pregnancy, childbirth or shortly after childbirth.

Legal Reform Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act 9710)

signed on August 14, 2009 and effective on September 15, 2009.

A comprehensive women’s human rights law that seeks to eliminate discrimination against women.

Spells out every woman’s right to: protection from violence, disasters and other crisis situations; participation and representation; equal treatment before the law; access to education; employment in the military; comprehensive health services; equal rights in marriage and family relations.

Guarantees civil, political and economic rights of marginalized, excluded women.

Conclusions

Enhancing Women’s Participation in Governance

Women’s Advocacy Groups Play a Critical Role

Adoption of Electoral System Reforms

Political Party Reform

Temporary Affirmative Action Measures such as Quotas and Reservations

Build State Capacity to Respond to Women’s Needs