Since my elementary days I have been a believer of that proposition of I do not know who, that women are always at the mercy of men.
The “double standard” scheme present in the whole world is a direct discrimination towards the rights of women being secondary or at the threshold on the rights of every man. First, a very obvious example is on who has the right to vote and who has not, during and before the early 1900s.
Women, during those days have no right to vote and that they remain always at the background. They do not hold outstanding positions in any office in the government nor be running for any political positions because they were regarded as insignificant or not important individuals.
These are no longer true today. Through Women’s Liberation Act in 1930’s, women were allowed to vote since October, 1933“The Right of Suffrage for Women.” Under Article 2, Section 14- The Law on the Equality of Men and Women erases all that was existing on the unfair treatment to women.
On the Gender and Development (GAD) Seminar for teachers held just recently in our school, we were very much enlightened and learned about this CEDAW- a Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women wherever you are in any part of the world. In the Philippines, The MACOW- Magna Carta of Women-RA 9710 on August 14, 2009, the rights big or small of every woman was addressed. In VAW- 5 forms of Violence Against Women were discussed and elaborated. This time we women teachers are already aware of violence and that we can identify now verbal violence from physical, sexual from emotional and economical.
Unlike the former days, women like we, know where we stand now. We are now treading familiar grounds so to speak. Through GAD, we are now more confident and complacent upon meeting different situations which are not very conducive especially to us teachers. Gender and Development (GAD) covers not only the rights of women but also how these rights have developed and function to suit the primary needs of women specially we teachers so we should be respected and not taken for granted and abused in all forms.
This time, we are proud that no matter how lowly our works will be we could still hold our heads high and say we are one of the world’s greatest creatures locally and internationally.
Thanks to GAD as well as to God in giving us protection through legislative articles and laws. This time we, women are recognized.
By: Sonia S. Infante | Master Teacher I | Morong National High School | Morong, Bataan
