THE drive for the empowerment of women has evolved through the years. When I was a preschooler, I remember witnessing the struggles of working moms. As I entered education, I also read about and at times witnessed myself the gender bias inherent in workplace. As I understood the world better, I felt truly bothered by how much family violence, whether physical or emotional, occurred to both women and men all over the world.
Even today, because of culture and various reasons, gender equality continues to face a long road ahead. What eventually became clear to me is that gender equality is primarily taught at home, and parents play a vital role in shaping their child’s view on this. The society we live in, regardless of what it dictates about gender, can be reinforced, or directed toward a better place by the parents’ decision to set a “better” example for their children. Many think that gender equality is a social issue. I believe it is equally a family issue, because how many times do family conflicts arise due to gender biases even within our own homes? Beyond this, societal actions are rooted from the accumulation of personal views…and personal views are influenced most by what we were exposed to growing up in our own families.
Thus, for me views on gender, women empowerment and the like are equally important to teach to both my daughter and my son.
My husband and I have a simple and personal view on this: each person has an equal right to pursue one’s fulfillment in life. This serves as a cornerstone on how each gender is respected and empowered in our household.
I also like my kids to be exposed to and aware of how the issue of gender is evolving in society, both here and globally. It was good to know that as part of this year’s International Women’s Day, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in the Philippines, launched the campaign “Here for Her.” The campaign is a call to action engaging all stakeholders to accelerate the pace in empowering women and girls to realize their rights and full potential. This flagship campaign was launched to promote a commitment to end preventable maternal deaths, end unintended pregnancies, and prevent gender-based violence and other harmful practices.
The launch of the Here for Her campaign was on International Women’s Day, with the theme of “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow.” Achieving gender equality is further challenged by climate change.
“Women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation,” shared Dr. Leila Sajii Joudane, UNFPA country representative to the Philippines. “Climate change is not gender-neutral. It is a multiplier of existing inequalities and vulnerabilities.”
During humanitarian crises, UNFPA leads in upholding the health and dignity of women and girls by preventing and responding to gender-based violence, addressing the delivery of emergency reproductive health kits, and ensuring safe childbirth. These efforts have been seen in previous calamities, including Supertyphoon Odette (Rai).
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Their mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. The agency was created in 1969, with a Filipino, Rafael M. Salas, heading the agency as its first executive director.
UNFPA globally is promoting commitments to achieving three transformational goals by 2030: ending preventable maternal deaths, ending unmet need for family planning, and ending gender-based violence and other harmful practices against women and girls including child marriage.
Being aware of this information above allows us as a family to appreciate what so many people and organizations have fought for and continue to fight for to get to what we enjoy today. It also pushes us to be an agent of change in our own way, especially in mindset and in our daily actions, to pave an even better road ahead.