Gender Sensitization Seminar

TPEF celebrates National Women’s Month by conducting a seminar on raising awareness among students on gender and development principles.

In line with the celebration of National Women’s Month, the TORM Philippines Education Foundation, Inc. recently conducted a virtual seminar on “Gender and Development with SOGIESC Orientation and Gender Disparities in Education in the Philippines”. This half-day seminar-workshop was designed for the 30 educators and parent officers of the four public high-schools in Capoocan, Leyte, namely: Pinamopoan Senior High School Stand-Alone, Pinamopoan National High School, Libertad National High School, and Don Mariano Salvacion Memorial National High School.

This seminar-workshop aims to prepare the participants to be gender-sensitive in their roles, to raise awareness and knowledge of gender and development principles, concepts, issues, and programs, and to understand how gender roles are defined, valued, and reinforced in the family, school, community, and society. Furthermore, this activity aimed to help the teachers to be the most effective educators they can be. The importance of educating students about gender issues is crucial from a gender equality perspective in the classroom.

Resource speaker Jan David Salvador of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) emphasized the importance of teachers in promoting gender equality and gender equity in education because they can impact learners’ motivation and performance.

Leo Bejan Macausi, School Head at Pinamopoan Senior High School Stand-Alone, emphasized that the school provides a safe and secure learning environment. In addition to providing good-quality education, they strive to be free of violence and discrimination. Further, he was extremely grateful for TPEF’s timely efforts in conducting a seminar-workshop on gender and development, as the topics and discussions were very relevant and helpful.

In attendance also were the 150 students of Pinamopoan Senior High School Stand-Alone who were required to participate in the seminar by the School Head in order to gain a better understanding of gender equality, sexuality, and other gender-related programs, laws and challenges.

This activity is part of TPEF’s Social Development Initiatives program and is part of a continual effort to integrate gender and development into all its programs.