One of the participants discussing about gender issues during the second and final day of the Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) for DSWD Field Office V employees at Sarung Banggui Resort, Sto. Domingo, Albay last November 7, 2018.

Legazpi City-The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V provided a Gender Sensitivity Training (GST) to its 98 internal staff in three batches this year.

The two-day crash course about gender aims to teach the DSWD employees to fully understand the importance of legal mandates and laws in creating a gender-fair community.

According to DSWD Dir. Arnel Garcia the training will also increase the attendees’ knowledge about gender sensitivity principles that they can apply in the workplace such as gender-sensitive language and remarks, provision of equal access to opportunities, informed decision-making for both sexes and gender-specific data collection and analysis.

“I encourage all DSWD employees to undergo this capacity building activity because we want to have a pool of gender advocates who will push for an enabling environment for all,” Dir. Garcia added.

After the training they are expected to come up with a Gender Action Plan based on the identified gender issues and provide their commitments to promote gender equality and create a gender-fair community.

The GST comprise of seven salient sessions about the following topics: Why We Advocate GAD?; Sex and Gender; Sex, Orientation, Gender identity and Expression; Institutions that Promote Gender Bias; Manifestations of Gender Bias; Gender Division of Labor; and Power.

The first group of DSWD employees who attended the GST was conducted last April 12-13, 2018, the second group was trained last April 24-25, 2018 while the recent training for the last batch was completed last November 6-7, 2018.

The total number of participants reached a total of 98 employees. Some participants are also members of the DSWD Region V Gender and Development (GAD) Technical Working Group (TWG) chaired by Assistant Regional Director for Operations Arwin Razo.

The GAD TWG is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the gender mainstreaming efforts through GAD planning and budgeting process.

Based on the Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta for Women, the government offices shall ensure that all members of the GAD TWG must undergo capacity building programs on gender and development which shall include but not be limited to: gender sensitivity training (GST), gender analysis, GAD planning and budgeting, and gender audit.