By : Pague, Edilyn Joy Pit Pangandian, Jessel Mary Famor

Gender - A role stereotype are the features we assign to men and women in our society, features that are not assigned due to biological sex but due to the social roles that men and women hold.

Gender Equality also known as gender equity, gender egalitarianism, or sexual equality) is the goal of the equality of the genders stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.

GENDER EQUALITY gives women and men the same entitlements to all aspects of human development, including economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights,.

GENDER EQUALITY the same level of respect, the same opportunities to make choices, and the same level of power to shape the outcome of these choices

Half of the world’s population is female, hence, the extent to which women and girls benefit from development policies and programs has a major impact on the countries’ overall development success.

Research shows that women and girls tend to: work harder than men, more likely to invest their earnings in their children, major producers as well as consumers

Research shows that women and girls tend to: shoulder critical, life-sustaining responsibilities without which men and boys could not survive much less enjoy high levels of productivity.

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT is particularly important for determining a country’s demographic trends, trends that in turn affect its economic success and environmental sustainability.

The Creation of Patriarchy by Gerda Lerner… Gerder is the “ costume, a mask, a straitjacket in which men and women dance their unequal dance.”

Alan Wolfe (The Gender Question) “of all the ways that one group has systematically mistreated one another, none is more deeply rooted than the way men have subordinated women. All other subordinations pale by contrast.”

Sexism must be the first to be eradicated

Gender also means sexlessness or equality of the sexes

(past) Sexism connotes discrimination or prejudice against sexes especially against women. (present) Feminism has become an accepted movement

Feminism means advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of equality of the sexes. Some men too, have become feminist– helping advance the cause of women and believing and recognizing that women can improve themselves and be equal with men in their role in society

“Strong evidence from around the world confirms that gender equality accelerates overall economic growth, strengthens democratic governance and reduces poverty and insecurity” -Kemal Davis

Promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women is an effective strategy to ensure that the other Millennium Development Goals are achieved.