THE health and socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic are disproportionately affecting women and girls, according to the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in the Philippines.
Its local embassy said that for instance, in the global scale—because a higher proportion of women work informally and in vulnerable sectors—their job-loss rate is 1.8-times greater than that of men. The poverty rate among women could go up by 9.1 percent.
To address these gaps, the new Gender Action Plan III (GAP III) launched in November 2020 put forward ambitious plans to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment through all external action of the EU. While there has been some significant—albeit uneven—progress achieved in advancing women’s and girls’ rights, no country in the world is on track to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030.
The EU’s new Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Action 2021–2025 Action Plan aims to accelerate progress on empowering women and girls, while safeguarding gains made on gender equality during the 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and its Platform for Action.
High Representative of the EU and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell said: “Ensuring the same rights to all empowers our societies. It makes them richer and more secure. It is a fact that goes beyond principles or moral duties.”
Borrell added: “The participation and leadership of women and girls is essential for democracy, justice, peace, security, prosperity and a greener planet. With [GAP III], we are pushing for more and faster progress toward gender equality.”
Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen said: “Stronger engagement on gender equality is key to sustainable global recovery from the [health crisis and building fairer, more inclusive and] more prosperous societies. Women and girls are in the frontline of the pandemic and must be put in the driving seat of the recovery. As a gender-sensitive and responsive geopolitical commission, we want to work more closely with our member-states, as well as all partners, in building a truly gender-equal world.”
GAP III provides the EU with a policy framework with five pillars of action for accelerating progress toward meeting international commitments, and a world in which everyone has space to thrive. It makes the promotion of gender equality a priority of all external policies and actions; offers a roadmap for working together with stakeholders at national, regional and multilateral levels; steps up action in strategic thematic areas; calls for the institutions to lead by example; and ensures the transparency of the results.
Gender mainstreaming agenda
IN the Philippines, women benefit from important legislative advancements, as the gender gap has been narrowed in education, decision-making positions, and participation in economic opportunities. However, they still bear the burden of poverty, economic disadvantage, early pregnancy, domestic violence and exploitation.
The EU and its member-states work hand-in-hand in the implementation of the EU GAP III in the Philippines. Putting gender mainstreaming high on its agenda, the bloc ensures that programs implemented in the country are screened through a gender lens, taking into consideration the needs of women.
The union is also keen on advancing a gender equality agenda in the Philippines. An EU gender champion was appointed in 2020 in the person of Ambassador Bita Rasoulian of Austria. The EU’s head of delegation and ambassadors of its member-states are committed to be gender-responsive leaders and advance the gender agenda in their work.
The EU also funds actions to support women, like two big programs implemented by UN agencies: the “Safe and Fair” programme supporting female migrant workers, and “WeEmpowerAsia” which promotes women’s economic empowerment.
Other issues have been tackled by the EU’s engagement, among others through the civil-society sector, like safety of women journalists, women in agriculture, sexual and reproductive health, and participation in decision-making. With the new GAP III, the EU and its member-states will strive to do better and more for gender equality and women empowerment in the Philippines.
GAP III: Five pillars
1) EIGHTY-FIVE percent of all new actions throughout external relations will contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2025.
2) Shared strategic vision and close cooperation with member-states and partners at multilateral, regional and country level. GAP III makes the case for developing a common approach for all EU actors at country-level, and for focusing on selected strategic issues.
3) GAP III calls for accelerating progress, focusing on the key thematic areas of engagement—including fighting gender-based violence, as well as promoting economic, social and political empowerment of women and girls.
4) The action plan calls for the EU to lead by example—including by establishing gender-responsive and gender-balanced leadership at top political and management levels.
5) GAP III adopts a new approach to monitoring, evaluation and learning, with a stronger focus on measuring results.
Transformative, intersectional approach
CONTRIBUTING to empowering women, girls and young people to fully use their rights and increase their participation in political, economic, social, and cultural life is a key objective of the new action plan.
GAP III strongly supports the participation and leadership of girls and women, promoting it, for example, through governance programs and public administration reforms. It will promote a transformative and intersectional approach, as it will mainstream gender in all policies and actions.
Finally, leaving no one behind, the action plan seeks to tackle all intersecting dimensions of discrimination, paying specific attention for example to women with disabilities, migrant women, and discrimination based on age or sexual orientation.
Image credits: Twitter: @Josep Borrell F, EU Delegation-Philippines and SM/File photo