NAPC underscores need for gender-based anti-poverty programs

The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) underscores the importance of gender-sensitive and gender-based anti-poverty programs and policies to serve the basic sectors better.

In the past six years, under the leadership of NAPC Secretary and Lead Convenor Atty. Noel K. Felongco, the agency has recommended and formulated several policies and organized convergent platforms focused on Gender and Development (GAD).

At the same time, it ensured information dissemination through educational materials, conducted gender-based training and seminars, and brokered international agreements.

“Gender and Development within the context of NAPC is geared towards strengthening the knowledge and capacity of the NAPC Secretariat in coming up with relevant programs and policies to uplift the lives of those in the grassroots, particularly the women,” Felongco said.

Top management even underwent gender sensitivity training to be aware and conscious of GAD-related policies and mandates and direct the integration of GAD in the organization’s programs, projects, and activities. The training highlighted the positive practices between men and women and identified areas that need improved understanding.

Among the commission’s achievements in GAD is its input on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 9th Periodic Report. The report included policies issued to alleviate the situation of rural women or women belonging to the urban poor.

NAPC facilitated national forums on food security and agrarian reform for women. These called for the reinforcement of peasant women’s capacity and their communities to craft appropriate solutions directed to resolve the food crisis as well as a comprehensive legislative proposal and policy framework on the rehabilitation and conservation of marine biodiversity and aquatic resources.

It also pushes for the greater involvement of women and Indigenous Peoples in governance and nationalist development.

NAPC produced and disseminated gender-based information, such as a documentary drama film on the life story of Bai Bibyaon Ligkayan Bigkay, the only female chieftain in the history of the Manobo tribe. The video showed the discrimination against indigenous women because of gender and race.

Likewise, the agency came out with a study on the impact of labor flexibilization on women workers in the Philippines. It looked into the prevalence and drivers of labor contractualization, the condition of women workers, and the actions necessary to address the women workers’ concerns.

NAPC also took part in the 62nd session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW62) as part of the Philippine delegation and the Senior Officials’ Conference on Gender Mainstreaming in the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Sectoral Bodies.

NAPC is committed to undertaking policy advocacy, overseeing anti-poverty efforts, and ensuring meaningful and inclusive people’s participation in governance and nationalist development.