“How can PCAARRD’s work impact the community?”
This was the question presented during the orientation-seminar on “Mainstreaming Gender and Development and Basic Training on the Use of the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines” held for employees of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD). Dr. Blesshe L. Querijero, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Professor and member of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) GAD Resource Pool, served as resource person.
The orientation-seminar was held to equip PCAARRD employees with basic knowledge of gender and development (GAD) concepts; empower the Council to build gender-responsive agency policies; and develop gender-responsive actions trough GAD planning and budgeting.
In order to impact the community, Dr. Querijero said that gender issues should be addressed, especially in planning and project development. She said that this is required as government workers are development workers.
For funding agencies like PCAARRD, a gender analysis tool can be used to ensure that gender is integrated in the development and implementation of S&T projects and initiatives. Dr. Querijero introduced the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines or HGDG, which is already being used by the Council, especially the Technical Research Divisions (TRDs). According to her, HGDG can be used throughout the project or policy cycle as a planning, monitoring, and evaluation tool.
Under the guidelines, the project proponent can monitor how men and women can have access to project resources as well as their productivity in the project. This, according to Dr. Querijero, can help the Council and the project proponents systematically analyze and compare differences in gender needs, relations, division of labor, and impact using gender lens or perspective. With this information, the project can then respond with informed measures.
To ensure that gender perspectives are incorporated in all the Council’s initiatives, participants include staff from the support and coordinating units as well as new hires from different divisions of PCAARRD. It was organized by the PCAARRD-GAD Technical Working Group as part of the Council’s annual women’s month celebration in March.