assessment of gender mainstreaming policies of the department of environment and natural resources...

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ASSESSMENT OF GENDER MAINSTREAMING POLICIESOF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT

AND NATURAL RESOURCES (DENR)

Evaluation ReportMarch 2006

By Joanna Arriola and Rachael Morala,La Liga Policy Institute

1.0 Rational and Objectives1

The Philippines as a state values the full participation of women in national life. The PhilippineConstitution expressly states that the State “recognizes the role of women in nation-building,and shall ensure the fundamental equality before law of women and men.” It is also signatory tothe Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Since the issuance of Republic Act 7192 otherwise known as the Women in Development andNation Building Act, the DENR had issued policies, rules and regulations, supporting the equalopportunities and sharing of equal benefits for both men and women in the utilization of naturalresources. The Department has also incorporated gender-mainstreaming provisions in variousprograms and mechanisms, such as the Community Based Forest Management Program(CBFMP), Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), Environmental Impact Assessment

(EIA) system programs and the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act. Moreover, in compliance withExecutive Order 273, as well as NEDA, DBM, and NCRFW regulations, five percent (5%) of the total annual agency budget has been allotted to support GAD mainstreaming efforts. In view of this, GAD has been considered as one of the financially stable programs in terms of funding.

Department Administrative Order 1995-07 set a milestone in that it outlined guidelines for theimplementation of GAD activities in the DENR. Since then, numerous other policies have beenissued, which aim to strengthen gender mainstreaming in the department’s programs, projectsand activities. In this context, an assessment of the policies issued from 1995 to 2005 is hereby undertaken to gauge its adherence to RA 7192 and internationally accepted gender anddevelopment principles.

The general objective of the project is to evaluate the department’s understanding of andcommitment to gender mainstreaming principles by looking into GAD policy instruments issued

within the 10-year period between 1995 and 2005.

The specific objectives are:

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the gender-related provisions of various policies onenvironmental and natural resource management in general, and community based forest

1 This is the agreed upon terms of reference between the DENR and the La Liga Policy Institute.



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management, protected area management, environmental impact assessment, and sexualharassment in particular, with regard to GAD in general, and RA 7192 in particular; and,

Provide a framework for the evaluation of the impact the implementation of these policieshave had on the various programs, projects and activities of the department.

2.0 Relevant Literature and Evaluation Parameters

2.1 Revisiting GAD Concepts and Principles

The drive to integrate into formal development policies, interventions and programs the issue of

gender has long been recognized. Efforts at such, however, have not always been easy. At theonset of the global community’s push for the inclusion of gender issues and concerns as anessential dimension of economic and human development, fool proof parameters andmechanisms for doing so were limited. For a time gender stakeholders had to be content withthe inclusion of gender rhetoric in policy pronouncements.

Through the years, however, understanding of complex multi-layered gender issues andconcerns has deepened and has been more fully appreciated. Consequently, responses both inthe level of policy and concrete interventions to gender needs have also evolved such that in therecent years, there has been a dynamic progress in perspectives, approaches and goals even instrategies and methods drawn from various scholarships and actual on-the-ground experiencesthat contribute to practical applicability of gender as a development dimension.

The World Bank emphasizes this point arguing that gender equality is an issue of development

effectiveness, not just a matter of political correctness or kindness to women. New evidencedemonstrates that when women and men are relatively equal, economies tend to grow faster, thepoor move more quickly out of poverty, and the well-being of men and women is enhanced.2

As the 1995 UNDP Human Development Report asserts, human development, if notengendered, is endangered. The Report recognized that if the development process does notaccount for gender discrimination, unequal opportunities for men and women, and the exclusionof women as beneficiaries, as decision makers and agents of change, then the impact of development will not be gender neutral and overall development outcomes will becompromised.

Both documents argue that recognizing the importance of gender in all aspects of developmentis not merely a move towards the upliftment of status of women only. More importantly, it has

a positive impact on overall growth and development. Doing so, however, requires purposively embarking on “engendering” or gender mainstreaming – integrating gender concepts, analysis,needs and goals in the arena of constructs, policies, laws, rules, regulations, planning,implementation and in the other levels of the development process.

Gender mainstreaming takes into account the attitudes, roles and responsibilities of men and women, and recognizes that different sexes and social classes do not have the same access to and

2Integrating Gender into the WorldBank’s Work: A Strategy for Action by the worldbank, January 2002.



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control over resources. As such, recognition of differences in the work, benefits and impacts of the development process for the different socio-gender groups is important. In gendermainstreaming, therefore, there is a deliberate effort to create a norm where differentiated needs,roles, capacities, benefits and burdens are considered. 3

The Canadian government4 summarizes why gender mainstreaming makes good policy sense.Mainstreaming presumes that every policy or activity carries a gender perspective and hasimplications. Experiences in mainstreaming show policies and programmes are most effective when the impacts on gender are considered and addressed. And lastly , gender mainstreaming contributes to the rectification of systemic gender-based discrimination.

The over-arching challenge, therefore, is to mainstream gender in development. Specifically, this

refers to a widely accepted approach and organizational strategy that facilitates the adoption of institutional procedures that sees as fundamental a gender perspective, and brings in women’sand gender concerns to all aspects of an institution’s policy, programmes and activities. 5 Inversely, mainstreaming also aims to influence goals, strategies and resource allocation to bring about real changes in policies and programs.

Ideally, the responsibility for the implementation of gender policy is diffused across theorganizational structure rather than concentrated in a small central unit. Its success requiresbuilding gender capacity and accountability and sufficient resources. Mainstreaming, however,does not preclude specific initiatives targeting women. Women-specific programmes continue tobe necessary and play an important role in promoting gender equality, particularly when theserespond to identified gender needs.

At the core of such a task is a full comprehension of gender relations understood in the relevant

context. Gender relations 6 refer to socially constructed, culturally based power relationsbetween women and men that manifests in varying institutions such as the family, the publicsphere including the legal system and even the markets. Gender analysis focuses on theinterconnectedness of women’s and men’s lives and on the imbalances of power embedded inmale-female relations that exist in specific communities, institutions, societies, cultures andenvironments. It is a descriptive and diagnostic tool that can be valuable to policymakers,development planners and implementors. It requires the systematic gathering and examinationof information on gender needs, gender differences and social relations, which aid in theidentification, understanding and redress of inequities based on gender.7 Gender analysisprovides a critical input to defining appropriate policies and interventions that aim to improveexisting gender relations. Furthermore, it can be a basis for the monitoring of effectiveness of policies and interventions in terms of improving gender relations, which can then be a basis forpolicy adjustments.

3Mainstreaming in Gender Management, A Practical Journey to Sustainability: A Resource Guide by the UnitedNations Development Programme, February 2003.4Mainstreaming of a Gender Perspective. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/foreign_policy/human-rights/Iwe5-mainstream-en.asp.5Reeves, H. And Baden, Sally. Gender and Development: Concepts and Definitions. BRIDGE. Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex. February 2000. Page 12.6Ibid. Page 18.7Ibid. Page 6.



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There are three (3) broadly accepted categories/levels of gender and development goals: women’s welfare, gender equality and gender equity. At the bottom of this hierarchy, improving women’s welfare 8 means addressing practical gender needs which relate to women’s immediaterequirements for their survival in their socially accepted roles. Policies and interventions aimedat raising women’s welfare ensure women and their families have adequate living conditions suchas improvements in health care, food provision, access to safe water and sanitation including access to income-generating opportunities.

Gender equality as a goal requires the removal of discrimination in opportunities for women,allowing them to achieve equal status with men. It targets equal participation of women in thepublic sphere and in different levels of the development process. Addressing gender equality directs state interventions to remove barriers to such participation.

Finally, the goal of gender equity translates into the equivalence in life outcomes for womenand men; it results from recognizing their different needs and interests, and requires aredistribution of power and resources. It urges transformative and targeted changes in policies,interventions and programs that will result in a positive impact on gender relations. 9

2.2 GAD and Natural Resource Management

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action10 identified three strategic objectives in the

critical area of women and the environment : (a) involve women actively in environmentaldecision-making at all levels; (b) integrate gender concerns and perspectives in policies andprogrammes for sustainable development; and, (c) strengthen or establish mechanisms at thenational, regional and international levels to assess the impact of development andenvironmental policies on women.

Progress in terms of achieving these strategic objectives was reviewed after 5 years of the Beijing Declaration. It was seen that there is a positive but tentative trend towards greater participationand involvement of women in environmental decision-making positions; some countries havetaken steps to incorporate a gender perspective in national and local environmental activities,policies, plans and legislation, as well as in institutional arrangements. There has been an increasein women’s capabilities in the environmental field, including their knowledge, skills, andorganization. There is a growing quantity and improved quality of gender-sensitiveenvironmental research and data. And lastly, the review identified the growing acceptance of amore holistic approach that incorporates poverty eradication and women’s economicempowerment in environmental conservation and management.

On the other hand, the review also identified obstacles and challenges that need to be hurdled toensure progress of gender and development in the environment. Several factors were seen asmutually reinforcing and contributory to gender inequality, thus hindering the realization of theobjectives of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Millennium Development

8Ibid. Page 14.9Gender Equality and Equity. Ibid. page xxxx. 10 Available at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/forums/review/environment/.



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Another such case is a bilaterally funded watershed management project in Mindanao. Theproject aimed to involve community residents and local institutions in addressing the silting of alake within the watershed from logging and an increase in horticultural production. Inparticular, community involvement was targeted to determine and assess the various techniquesbeing adopted for soil conservation and to reduce silting. At its initial phase both men and women in the community were not effective in monitoring the water conditions. It wasdetermined that the women in the community were more interested in health issues than theproject’s concern of soil loss. The project engaged the women with their priority interest and asit turned out as women learned about how water quality affected the health of their families andthe program expanded to include monitoring for e coli, women became interested andparticipated. This led to their further engagement in a wider range of environmental activities.Ultimately, the community’s involvement led to positive outcomes, such as an increase in the

adoption of soil conservation technologies by both men and women farmers.13

Guidelines14 provided by the National Commission on the Role of the Filipino Women(NCRFW) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to flesh out the Women in Development and Nation-Building Act (RA 7192) also give an indicative framework on how to mainstream gender within the natural resource management sector. The guidelinesfirst points out that rural development projects in the arena of environment and natural resourcemanagement form an important part of the country’s poverty reduction and rural developmentstrategy. Given the range of interventions that the Department can employ to contribute to thisstrategy, the document asserts that environment and natural resource management policies andprograms can be designed to contribute to the achievement of gender equality.

2.3 Summary of Evaluation Parameters

The current evaluation limits itself to the evaluation of select policies of the Department. Theevaluation covers a GAD assessment of the policy’s framework, direction, identifiedmechanisms, identified monitoring and evaluations tools/indicators, and identified managementstructures. The evaluation does not cover assessing the policy’s implementing rules andregulations, its actual implementation, results of performance reviews and its actual results andoutcomes.

Key parameters for the evaluation of policies vis-à-vis GAD mainstreaming within theDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources were formulated based on the concepts andprinciples discussed above. A schematic presentation of these evaluation parameters is presentedin Table I. The key questions are as follows:

a.

Do the policies address gender needs?b. Do the policies take into account gender relations?

13Diamond, N. et al, A Working Session on Communities, Institutions and Policies: Moving from EnvironmentalResearch to Results.WIDTECH (funded by the Office of Women in Development, Bureau for GlobalProgrammes, Field Support and Research, U.S. Agency for International Development), Washington, D.C, 1997.Sited in Working Party on Gender Equality, OECD-DAC, Reaching the Goals in the S-21: Gender Equality and theEnvironment, 1998. Available at: www.oecd.org/dac/Gender/pdf/wid993e.pdf.14

NCRFW and NEDA. Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines for Project Development,Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation. October 2004.



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c. Do they institutionalize the use of gender analysis both in terms of developing policy andinterventions? And in terms of institutional processes?

d. Do the policies initiate capacity building (awareness, information, knowledge and technicalskills) for women both within the institution and for its beneficiaries?

e. Do the policies institute mechanisms where women are able to substantively participate inthe various development processes?

f. Do the policies express and address gender and development goals?

Table I. GAD Goals and Levels of Responses15

Welfare Responds to the material and physical needs of women

Aims to improve women’s physical and material conditions

Women’s Welfare

Access

Responds to the limited entitlements available to women

Makes available resources, services and facilities to womenby providing appropriate and effectivemeasures/mechanisms

Conscientization

Responds to culturally construed stereotypes against womenoften resulting to discrimination

Aims to promote gender equality of women and men by challenging sexist beliefs and constructs

Gender Equality

Participation/Empowerment

Responds to the marginalization of women in key processesthat have concrete impact on women’s lives

Aims for equal involvement of women in decision-making processes recognizing the distinct contributions of womenas agents for change and development

Gender Equity Control

Responds to the unequal power relations between men and women affecting the management of assets and relations tothe means of production

Aims to equalize power relations through redistributiveeconomic reforms

15 Adopted from the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines for Project Development, Implementation,Monitoring and Evaluation released by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and theNational Commission on the Role of The Filipino Women (NCRFW) in October 2004. With Revisions



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3.0 Methodology

The overall design of the study is qualitative and was determined by the objectives of the project. A thematic analytic approach was taken, as it lends itself well to a text-based corpus in thatinferences can be made from the text to the social context – in this case, the policy atmosphere within the DENR in relation to GAD – which may be otherwise less accessible16. Thematicanalysis thus enables the assessor to transform the text systematically into themes corresponding to the Department’s overall understanding of gender and development.

3.1 Computer-assisted text analysis

The study involved a thematic content analysis of the following policies, which compose thecorpus of the study:

Document SubjectGoverning documents

RA 7192 An Act Promoting the Integration of Women as Full and EqualPartners of Men in Development and Nation Building and for

Other Purposes.EO 273 Approving and Adopting the Philippine Plan for Gender-

Responsive Development, 1995 to 2025.GAD-specific policies

• GAD framework

DAO 1995-07 Guidelines for the Implementation of Gender and

Development Activities in the Department of EnvironmentNatural ResourcesDAO 1998-15 Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of Gender and

Development (GAD) Activities in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

DAO 1998-55 Amending Certain Sections of Administrative Order No. 98-15on Gender and Development.

DAO 1999-27 Amending Certain Provisions of DAO 98-55 on theImplementation of Gender and Development in the DENR.

DAO 2001-18 Amendments to DENR Administrative Order No. 99-27 dated July 19, 1999 Re: Implementation of Gender and Development

(GAD) in the DENR.

• On the Gender Service Awards

DAO 1996-23 Launching of the Gender and Development (GAD) Service Awards and Providing Guidelines for its Implementation

DAO 2001-21 Revised Guidelines on Gender and Development (GAD)Service Awards.

Annex A, DAO 2001-21 Guidelines on Gender and Development (GAD) Service Awards of the DENR

16 Bauer, M.W. (2000). ‘Classical Content Analysis: A Review’. In Bauer, M.W. and Gaskell, G. (eds) (2000).Qualitative Researching with Text, Image and Sound. London: Sage Publications Ltd., pages 131-151.



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• On Sexual Harassment

DAO 1996-33 Implementing Rules and Regulations on the Anti-SexualHarassment Act of 1995 (R.A. 7877)

DAO 2002-25 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations on the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995

• On others

DMO 1996-15 PAMB MembershipDAO 2002-13 Removal of Gender Bias in the Acceptance and Processing of

Homestead Patent Applications and Other Public Land Applications

DAO 2004-31 Admission of Women into the Corps of CommissionedOfficers of the Coast and Geodetic Survey Department of

NAMRIACore/general program policies

DMC 1996-08 Amendment of the Flexi-Time Work Schedule at the DENR Central Office

DAO 1996-24 Rules and Regulations Governing the Socialized IndustrialForest Management Program

DAO 1996-29 Rules and Regulations for the Implementation of ExecutiveOrder 263, Otherwise Known as the Community-Based Forest

Management Strategy (CBFMS)DAO 1996-37 Revising DENR Administrative Order No. 21, Series of 1992,

to Further Strengthen the Implementation of theEnvironmental Impact Statement (EIS) System.

DAO 1997-04 Rules and Regulations Governing the Industrial Forest

Management ProgramDMC 1997-12 Guidelines for the Formulation of Community Resource

Management Framework and Annual Work Plan forCommunity Based Forest Management Areas

DAO 2003-30 Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the PhilippineEnvironmental Impact Statement (EIS) System

DAO 2004-13 Designation of North Cotabato Geothermal Airshed and itsGoverning Board

TAMS Analyzer, a qualitative research software package for the social and cultural sciences, wasemployed to facilitate analysis. TAMS stands for “Text Analysis Mark-up System”. It allowsresearchers to assign codes to passages of a text, and later facilitates the extraction and analysisof coded information.

The coding frame evolved from an initial review of the corpus, as well as an elaboration of thekey evaluation parameters discussed in the earlier section. Table II lists the codes used in theevaluation and provides a complete description of these codes, as well as its corresponding GAD goal/s.



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Table II. TAMS Coding Frame

Code DefinitionGAD goal being

addressed

awaregad

The policy or portion thereof promotesawareness of gender and developmentissues and concerns, or requires anunderstanding of such.

• Gender equality:Conscientization

awarewomen

The policy or portion thereof promotes women's awareness of available resources,mechanisms and opportunities that they may take advantage of towards increased

participation and empowerment.

• Women’s Welfare: Access

empoweraccess

The policy or portion thereof provides orpromotes women's access to information,mechanisms, services and resources fortheir development.

Depending on nature of item:

• Women’s Welfare: Access

• Gender Equality:Empowerment

empowerlead The policy or portion thereof empowers women to take a leading role in actions thataffect their lives.


• Gender Equality:Participation andEmpowerment

• Gender Equity:

Control

empowerskills The policy or portion thereof promotes theimprovement of women's skills andcapabilities.


• Women’s welfare: Welfare and Access


• Gender Equity:Control

empowervoice The policy or portion thereof provides women with venues to exercise voice withregard to issues affecting them.

• Gender Equality:Conscientization andEmpowerment

equal The policy or portion thereof promotesequal relations between men and women.

• Gender Equality:Conscientization

partconsultation

The policy or portion thereof promotes women's participation and providesmechanisms for them to be consulted onmatters that affect them.

• Gender Equality:Participation



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partdecision

The policy or portion thereof promotesand provides mechanisms for theparticipation of women, or for a genderperspective, in decision-making processes.


• Gender Equality:Control

partrep

The policy or portion thereof providesmechanisms for women and their concernsto be represented in formal advisory,administrative and decision-making bodies,such as, but not limited to, task forces andcommittees.

• Gender Equality:Conscientization andParticipation

3.2 Case document reviews

In addition to, and to enrich, the TAMS analysis, three document reviews were undertaken ascase studies in the evaluation of GAD mainstreaming in Department policies.

Cases were chosen based on their probative value and representation of broad categorizations of the policies under review: (1) DAO 1999-27 as amended by DAO 2001-18 was chosen since itis the overarching GAD policy framework of the Department; (2) DAO 2001-21 and Annex Aof the same, was chosen because it is a GAD-specific program adopted by the Department; and(3) DAO 1996-24 and DAO 1997-04 represent a policy document covering a core program of the Department.

Through the case studies, the evaluators sought to provide qualitative analysis on the following:(1) the major GAD themes expressed within the particular policies; (2) the expression of concrete and identifiable GAD issues/concerns; (3) the level of response to the expressed GADissues/concerns; and lastly, (4) indicators of mainstreaming.



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4.0 Analysis of the TAMS Results

Summary of Coding Results

Aside from the DENR policies being evaluated, RA 7192 and EO 273 were also coded asreference documents. Thus, twenty-three (23) documents were coded according to the Coding Frame using the qualitative content analysis software package “TAMS Analyser”, yielding twohundred sixty-three (263) raw coded items as follows:

Document No. of items

Governing documentsRA 7192 20EO 273 12

GAD-specific policies

• GAD framework

DAO 1995-07 28DAO 1998-15 24DAO 1998-55 25DAO 1999-27 26DAO 2001-18 6


DAO 1996-23 2DAO 2001-21 2

Annex A, DAO 2001-21 46• On Sexual Harassment

DAO 1996-33 15DAO 2002-25 36

• On others

DMO 1996-15 1DAO 2002-13 2DAO 2004-31 5

Core/general program policiesDMC 1996-08 1DAO 1996-24 2DAO 1996-29 3DAO 1996-37 3

DAO 1997-04 1DMC 1997-12 1DAO 2003-30 2DAO 2004-13 0

263



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Items yielded by code are as follows:

CodeNo. of items

No. of documentscontaining items

awaregad 64 17awarewomen 2 1empoweraccess 77 11empowerlead 9 3empowerskills 6 2empowervoice 17 8equal 33 11partconsultation 4 4

partdecision 22 13partrep 29 11

263



MATRIX OF TAMS RESULTSawaregad

aware women

empoweraccess

empowerlead

empowerskills

empower voice

equal partconsult

pde

Governing documentsRA 7192 2 8 4 1 1 1

EO 273 2 6 2 1

GAD-specific policies

• GAD framework DAO 1995-07 8 8 1 2 1

DAO 1998-15 9 6 1 2

DAO 1998-55 7 9 1 3 1

DAO 1999-27 7 9 1 3 1

DAO 2001-18 1 2 1


DAO 1996-23 1

DAO 2001-21 1

Annex A 10 8 3 5 15

• On sexual harassment

DAO 1996-33 3 2 3 4

DAO 2002-25 6 16 7

• On others DMO 1996-15

DAO 2002-13 1 1

DAO 2004-31 2 1 2

Core/general program policiesDMC 1996-08 1

DAO 1996-24 1

DAO 1996-29 3

DAO 1996-37 2

DAO 1997-04

DMC 1997-12

DAO 2003-30 1 1

DAO 2004-13



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Coding Analysis

Despite palpable achievements in terms of promoting GAD awareness, gender equality,access to information, and mechanisms for participation within DENR, it is also evident thatGAD has not been mainstreamed within the Department. There is a high item count forGAD specific policies (See TAMs Table), referring to the administrative orders and other

laws and regulations that target women and gender concerns, which does not carry over tothe core/general programme policies of the department.

In sum, instead of being integrated, GAD initiatives are being segregated from the rest of the work and activities of the bureaucracy. The danger lies in GAD being treated as a tokeninitiative rather than as a coherent, systematic, and sustainable intervention within a rights-based development approach. Evidence of the non-uniform application of key concepts andconcerns in GAD mainstreaming are consistent across each of the major non-GAD policy instruments and regulations that apply to DENR and its attached agencies.

The coding analysis is presented in the following quadrant to plot the relative concentrationand dispersion of the items across two major aggrupations: (1) policies that promote genderawareness and access to information, and (2) policies that promote equality.

Let quadrants A & B denote policies that promote awareness (A) or equality (B), andquadrants C & D denote the location of policies either in GAD specific (C) or core/general(D) policies. The best scenario within this framework is to integrate policies that promoteequality in core/general policies.

D

C

A B

The scatter-gram indicates that most of the initiatives and their location are in quad CB,followed by DA. This implies that recasting core policies will need to be undertaken, andthat substantial work has already been done in generating awareness and communicating GAD information.



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5. Case Studies

5.1 CASE: DER Administrative Order o. 99-27: “Amending Certain

Provisions of DAO 98-55 on the Implementation of Gender and

Development in the DER”

As amended by

DER Administrative Order o. 2001-18: “Amendments to DER

Administrative Order o. 99-27, dated July 19, 1999 Re:

Implementation of Gender and Development (GAD) in the DENR”

Policy Summary

DAO 99-27, as amended by DAO 2001-18, is the latest of a series of Administrative Orders(Nos. 95-07, 98-15 and 98-55), each superseding the previous one and providing theframework for gender mainstreaming activities within the DENR in accordance with RA7192 and EO 273. It creates/reconstitutes GAD bodies at the national, regional, provincialand community levels of the Department, and provides for the allocation of funds for GAD

activities and programs.

Policy Document Analysis

The policy as a whole focuses on Gender and Development (GAD) as a priority concern of the DENR. “Section 1. Statement of Policy and Objectives” makes explicit the gendermainstreaming ideals that the Order intends to foster. Among these are gender equality,access, representation and participation. The objectives are:

(1) To integrate gender concerns in the development process through, but not limited to, equal participation of men and women in all policies, programs, projects and activities of the DENR;

(2) To review and revise all rules, regulations and procedures to remove gender biases therein; (3) To maintain a database of sex and age disaggregated data and other statistics relative to

gender and development; (4) To integrate GAD issues and concerns in all programs and projects of the DENR; (5) To allocate funds from the regular budget and a proportionately equal percentage of

Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds from foreign government and multilateral agencies and organizations to support policies, programs, projects and activities on GAD; and

(6) To ensure better gender representation in the DENR GAD Focal Point System.

The TAMS flagged 26 items in DAO 99-27, and 6 items in DAO 2001-18. As amended, atotal of 28 items were flagged, as follows:

Code

o. of

items Details/Comments Awaregad 7 • 1 item refers to the policy as a whole;

• 3 objectives were coded once each;

• 2 items refer to reporting mechanisms;



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• 1 item refers to the conduct of studies on GADand the environment.

Empoweraccess 10 • 2 items, including 1 objective, refer to theallocation of of funds for GAD activities;

• 1 item refers to the provision of assistance onGAD matters to regular offices/units;

• 1 item refers to a mechanism for access to and

coordination with NCRFW for GAD concerns;• 6 items correspond to the creation of GAD bodies.

Partrep 5 • 1 item refers to one of the policy’s objectives;

• 3 items correspond to gender representation increated bodies;

• 1 item refers to having a woman representative tothe NGADFPS.

Equal 3 • 1 item is contained in the policy’s statement of principle;

• 1 item corresponds to one of the policy’sobjectives;

• 1 item refers to one of the functions of theNGADFSP.

Partdecision 1 • The NGADEC shall “oversee the DENR’s

compliance with RA 7192 and shall act on mattersrequiring decisions on GAD.”

Partconsultation 1 • NGADFSP shall “serve as advisory body to theSecretary on GAD matters”.

Empowervoice 1 • NGADFSP shall “monitor and evaluate theimplementation of GAD programs and projects,both in the central and field offices”.

The concern regarding women’s welfare is clearly expressed by the policy. In particular, itaddresses the need to strengthen women’s access to resources, facilities and services thatrespond to GAD needs. Of special significance are the provisions on the allocation of fundsfor GAD activities and the creation of GAD bodies at all levels of the Department. Theseprovisions aim to ensure that women’s concerns are not neglected, an important first step

towards gender equality.

Gender equality is also a concern that was expressed. In fact, the policy as whole seeks toaddress this issue, which is clearly stated in its statement of principle. Under this generalconcern, the need for conscientization was further conveyed in the mandate given to GADbodies to conduct studies on gender and the environment. Furthermore, the need forparticipation and empowerment is embodied in the provisions regarding the monitoring,evaluation and advisory functions of the NGADEC and the NGADFPS.

GAD Mainstreaming Review

The issuance of the policy per se is positive in that it calls attention to the need for gender

mainstreaming in natural resource management. However, achievement of the policy’s ownobjectives of gender mainstreaming is partial at best. In particular:



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• Although objectives (1) and (4) specify the need to mainstream gender concerns inprocesses and programmes, the substance of the policy fails to achieve this. GAD-focused bodies at the national, regional, provincial and community levels were indeedcreated, and the participation of DENR units (bureaus, attached agencies,offices/services) in the said bodies is indeed ensured. However, the reverse does notapply: mechanisms for GAD-specific representation in regular DENR units and inregular programme/project activities are not provided for.

• Objective (2) was not met. Aside from the stated objective, the Order does notdirect any person, unit or special body to conduct the review.

• Objective (3) of the policy specifies the need “to maintain a database of sex and agedisaggregated data and other statistics relative to gender and development” but doesnot direct any person, unit or office to do so. Nor does it ensure the use of suchdata as input to planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes, thusfalling short of the gender mainstreaming principle of institutionalisation (Reeves andBaden, 2000).

• “Section 4. Funding Requirements” explicitly provides for access to resources forGAD, in accordance with objective (5). This represents a significant contribution to

the furtherance of GAD ideals. However, as with the rest of the policy, allocation of resources is intended for GAD-specific activities only, not mainstreaming.

• The intention behind objective (6) is vague in that gender representation is theostensible aim of the establishment of the DENR GAD Focal Point System in thefirst place. The evaluators can only suppose that the said objective points to thefollowing:

a. The designation of the Head Executive Assistant (HEA) or the highest-ranking female official as Chairperson of the NGADFPS . It is assumed here that actual designation appliesto the higher-ranking of the two.

On one hand, the “highest ranking female official” provision is positive and

significant in that it deliberately gives women the leading role in GAD activities, asort of “affirmative action” for empowerment. On the other hand, the option of designating the HEA is also constructive and noteworthy in that it ensures thatthe Chairperson of the NGADFPS is a person of authority and mandate,regardless of gender. Indeed, the impact of the NGADFPS would be diminishedif chairmanship is given to a low-level official, no matter that she is the highestranking woman in the Department.

b. The inclusion of lower level Focal Point heads as members of Focal Points at the next level ,e.g., Bureau/Agency FP heads are appointed members of the NGADFPS.

These provisions correspond to a higher level of response: ensuring genderrepresentation, rather than merely women’s participation, since it can be assumed

that FP heads at all levels carry with them a gender perspective. However,impact of the FPs is reduced by the fact that assigned members take on thefunction as an add-on responsibility only. Full-time members with GADmainstreaming as their primary responsibility would most likely deliver moresignificant results.



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In general, the policy, while positive, addresses GAD-specific activities and matters only,NOT gender mainstreaming in regular programs, as the objectives suggest. While it createsunits that focus on gender and development and allocates much-needed resources for GADactivities, a more progressive strategy of mainstreaming, where gender representation that isdiffused in all processes of the Department, would have been more responsive.



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5.2 CASE: DENR Administrative Order No. 2001-21: “Revised Guidelines onGender and Development (GAD) Service Awards”, including “Annex

A”

Policy summary

DAO 2001-21 covers a GAD specific program that recognizes significant GAD efforts within the Department and its attached agencies. It adopts the revised guidelines (Annex A)of the Department’s Gender and Development (GAD) Service Awards, which was launchedin 1996 through DAO 96-23. It also authorises the National GAD Focal Point System toregularly review said guidelines and revise these as necessary, and encourages all Departmentpersonnel to participate in the awards process.

Annex A details the objectives of the awards, the composition and functions of theScreening Committee and Board of Judges, as well as the process and criteria for theselection of winners. Two awards categories were identified: the Most Gender SensitiveProject and the Most Gender Sensitive Woman Project Implementor.


The TAMS flagged 49 items in DAO 2001-21 and its Annex A, as follows:

Codeo. of

itemsDetails

Awaregad 11 • 2 items refer to the policy as a whole: 1 each for themain policy and its annex;

• 1 item refers to the recognition of the role of womenin development;

• 1 item refers to the acknowledgement of the need torecognise GAD efforts;

• 1 item refers to the inclusion of the Most GenderSensitive project award;

• 1 item corresponds to the inclusion of gendersensitivity as a general criterion for the Most GenderSensitive Woman Project Implementor award;

• 5 items are contained in the table of criteria,indicators and questions to be used in awardsselection.

Equal 15 • 2 items are contained in the Background on RA 7192and PSSD;

• 2 items are contained in the policy’s goals andobjectives;


Empoweraccess 8 • 1 item is contained in the Background on the State’spolicy on gender and development;

• 1 item refers to a general criterion for the MostGender Sensitive Woman Project Implementoraward;



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• 1 item refers to the guideline on the use of cashprizes;


Partdecision 5 • 1 item refers to the authorization given to theNGADFPS to regularly review the awards and revisethese as necessary;

• 1 item is contained in the policy’s goals andobjectives;

• 1 item corresponds to the GAD ExecutiveCommittees serving as the board of judges for theawards;

• 1 item corresponds to the NGADFPS serving asnational level screening committee;

• 1 item is contained in the table of criteria, indicatorsand questions to be used in awards selection.

Empowerskills 5 • 1 item corresponds to a general criterion for theMost Gender Sensitive Woman Project Implementoraward;

• 4 items are contained in the table of criteria,

indicators and questions to be used in awardsselection.Empowerlead 3 • 1 item corresponds to a general criterion for the

Most Gender Sensitive Woman Project Implementoraward;


Partrep 2 • 1 item refers to the representation of GAD FocalPoints in the awards Screening Committees;

• 1 item is contained in the table of criteria, indicatorsand questions to be used in awards selection.

Concern for women’s welfare is conveyed in the reiteration of the principle that “women

must be provided with facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enablethem to realize their full potential in the service of the nation.” This concern is notably concretized by ensuring that, aside from recognizing GAD efforts through the awards, cashprizes for the Most Gender Sensitive Project are to be ploughed back to the project forGAD-related initiatives.

Conscientization as a sub-goal of the concern for gender equality was expressed by theissuance of the policy as a whole. The document clearly recognizes the need to affirm thecontribution of women to the development process, as well as to acknowledge efforts topromote gender sensitivity in the work place. The Most Gender Sensitive Woman ProjectImplementor award directly responds to this need. The criteria for judging entries alsoexplicitly include items related to this concern.

The sub-goal of participation/empowerment was also expressed and addressed in that thepolicy gave the Department’s GAD bodies (i.e., NGADFPS and GADECs) the authority tocarry out decision-making functions throughout the awards process, including the authority



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to revise the awards guidelines as necessary. Also, specific criteria for judging include whether project entries involve women in key processes.


In general the GAD service awards are a positive form of intervention in mainstreaming GAD within the DENR bureaucracy: the assessment noted the motivational impact on

DENR personnel and partners to constantly mainstream and develop gender anddevelopment tools and programmes, and the function of the awards as an incentive todevelop initiatives that brings gender into the center of official efforts towardsenvironmentally sustainable development.

The goals and objectives of the awards cover the two areas of GAD intervention:mainstreaming and women’s empowerment. An assessment of the various items thatdetermined award preferences indicate that likely winners are projects that facilitate genderawareness, pro-active initiatives that ensure gender equality, and gender empowermentthrough improved access by women. These initiatives are comparable with what aregenerally recognized as first tier GAD interventions that most development organizations,both public and private, usually engage in at the beginning of a GAD programme.

However, at least three strategic improvements need to be made to enable the awards tomove to a higher or advanced level:

1. The awards will have to reassess its priorities and preferences. This case study underlines the need to refocus from awareness towards actual mainstreaming initiatives internally (within the DENR) and externally (in relation with itsstakeholders and public and private partners). The awards have been in place foralmost ten years years (since 1996), and was revised nearly five years ago (2001). Thisproves that more than sufficient time has been spent on promoting awareness.

Actions to actually mainstream gender should now be prioritised, such as rewarding efforts that articulate, reinforce, or expand on GAD ‘best practice’.

2. The awards programme does not reveal any premium given towards learning andsustaining GAD mainstreaming initiatives. As an incentive programme for efforts

and initiatives that stand out from the rest, a clear emphasis on documenting learning and communicating that learning to the rest of the DENR bureaucracy, other lineagencies, and stakeholders within and outside the public sector must be in place, andshould be included as a criteria.

3. Finally, a critical improvement would be to start ending the practice of ring-fencing the awards to women and enable initiatives managed by and targeted towards men tocompete for the Most Gender Sensitive Project Implementor category. Available andrecent scholarship on the GAD front indicate that positive outcomes and impacthave been registered by programmes and projects that target men, or are managed by men, for quite obvious reasons: gender and development is distinct from women anddevelopment, and GAD initiatives do not stop with programmes that only target

women. This ‘liberalization’ process can be implemented gradually.



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5.3 Case: DENR Administrative Order No. 1996-24: “Rules and RegulationsGoverning the Socialized Industrial Forest Management Program”

and

DENR Administrative Order No. 1997-04: “Rules and Regulations

Governing the Industrial Forest Management Program”

Policy summary

DAOs 1996-24 and 1997-04 represent a critical redistributive program of the DENR. Theseprograms establish concrete mechanisms for the development and management of forestland resources. The programs aim to positively contribute to the broad national goals of sustainable development, promotion of equity, and the economic upliftment of Filipinos.

The two policy documents detail the policy objectives, coverage, procedures, parameters forand delineations, management mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation of DENR’sdistribution of management agreements of industrial forests to individuals, households,cooperatives and other private entities.

The Department Orders on industrial forest management allows private entities to directly manage forest resources and harvest forest produce for commercial use subject to identifiedregulations. Apart from distributing management agreements similar to leaseholdarrangements, the Department Orders also allow original beneficiaries to transfer, convey orsell in part and in whole, upon approval of the appropriate unit in the DENR and subject tocertain conditions, to other private entities. They also outline clear terms of referencebetween government and management agreement holders, incentives and assistancepackages for the beneficiaries all aimed at the full development and utilization of industrialforests.


The evaluators sought to review a standing program of the Department and assess its GADcontent and at the same time assess how such a program mainstreams GAD. The following is a reiteration of the key questions for the case study: (1) what are the major GAD themesexpressed within these two policy documents; (2) do these two policy documents expressconcrete and identifiable GAD issues/concerns; and lastly, (3) what level of response dothese two policy documents express for GAD issues/concerns.

The two policy documents governing Industrial Forest Management both identified“equitable access” as one of their goal. Section 1, page 1 of DAO 96-24 and section 1, itemc & e, page 1 & 2 of DAO 97-04 contain a broad declaration of equity as a policy objective.

The policy objective stated, however, does not concretely specify gender equity as itsobjective. Still this formulation can be liberally construed. It can be argued that aiming forequity can includes aiming for gender equity.

The TAMS result point to a gender equality clause expressed in Section 9, second paragraph,page 30 of DAO 96-24. The clause states that socialized industrial forest managementagreements when applicants are married shall be issued in names of both spouses.



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Participation in decision making was also flagged by the TAMS on two instances. Section12.7, page 34 of DAO 96-24 provides for the integration of gender concerns in theimplementation of management agreements to include equitable participation of women inproject activities and enjoyment of the fruits thereof. While section 19.20, page 18 of DAO97-04 provides for the integration of gender concerns in the implementation of managementagreements to include equitable participation of women in community development

management plans within areas under the industrial forest management agreements.

Outside these three themes - equity, gender equality and participation in decision making, noother GAD theme was expressed in the two policy documents. These themes can be relatedto matching gender needs, issues and/or concerns; and consequently, to particular genderand development goals.

As discussed in the earlier portions of the evaluation, gender equity seeks to address theexisting gender imbalance in power relations brought about by inequities in asset ownership.

And since the policy documents deal with lease distribution of industrial forests, thesepolicies undoubtedly can have a concrete positive impact on women’s asset ownership,resource management and in benefiting from the produce of the forests. Providing thepolicy environment that facilitates women’s possible ownership of a key resource if genuinely pursued is a strategic achievement towards correcting power relations across men and

women.

In specifying that lease agreements covering industrial forests issued to married individualsshall be in the name of both spouses, the Department expressed its recognition of womenand men equality within the family particularly in terms of asset ownership. This specificpolicy sees that households are not merely represented by men but by women as well. Thissimple policy statement has far reaching effects for women’s welfare and the women’s equalstatus with men. Such industrial forest management agreements maybe used by women asproof of asset ownership which then can be used for various purposes as basis for contractagreements and even possibly collateral without having to defer to the man in the household.

Providing for the participation of women in mechanisms that will affect their lives in thisparticular case in implementing industrial forest management agreements and in community

development planning is also a critical GAD policy statement expressed in the twodocuments. Providing for women’s participation first acknowledges women’s role indevelopment. Second, this statement provides women with a policy instrument which they can utilize in asserting their participation in the above mentioned processes. Third, andperhaps more importantly, this statement gives women an opportunity to be activeparticipants in discussions, planning and processes that have concrete impact in their day today life allowing them to incorporate their own understanding of the situation, their ownassessment of their needs and wants, and contributing their ideas and capacities for concreteinterventions that will improve their conditions.


It is important to emphasize the potential of the two policies on industrial forestmanagement in terms of its possible contribution in correcting the inequity faced by women

when it comes to asset ownership. In the broader Philippine social context ownership andcontrol of such a critical asset like land and production resources define access to and hold



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of economic and consequently political power. Providing a concrete policy instrument thatat the minimum provides opportunity for women to be direct beneficiaries of resourcemanagement agreements can be a hallmark for gender and development in the Philippines.

At best these are what the two policies represent in terms of gender and development - apotential, a possible opportunity. Mainstreaming gender and development, however,requires us to see if the policies are substantiated beyond rhetoric, declarations and nominal

statements. The policies were able to reserve a space for women even if rather minimally. These opening for gender equity, equality and women participation can be claimed by women stakeholders of the Department. It can be utilized by women stakeholders and otherinterest groups to assert, lay claim and demand for the benefits identified in the policy documents. It is a starting point which can be further expanded.

Still, there are critical areas where the policies on industrial forest management can beimproved if the policies seek to seriously and adequately mainstream gender anddevelopment. In the declaration of policy objectives, an opportunity was lost when it did notexpress the significant impact of resource distribution to women. Only by liberalconstruction can we interpret that gender equity as among the policy’s goals. Clearly, a moreconcrete articulation of gender equity as a goal is more ideal.

Achieving equality and substantial women’s participation require additional enabling instruments. For one, no provisions were identified for the collection of baselineinformation on the concrete conditions within community beneficiaries particularly on thestatus of women. The collection of baseline information allows the Department to adjust itsintervention such that its outcomes are also enjoyed by women. Involvement of womenshould also be identified not only in terms of planning but also in monitoring and evaluation.In the identified management mechanisms, women’s participation was not in anyway expressed.

Mainstreaming gender challenges institutions to see women not only as beneficiaries or asrecipients of end results and outcomes. Women, too, can be active agents of change. They have a role to play in defining interventions, in implementing activities, in assessing resultsand especially in managing initiatives that have direct and concrete impact in their own lives,in the lives of their families and in the life of their community. In fact as experiences have

shown that if women’s involvement is not mainstreamed or integrated the full developmentpotentials of intended results and outcomes can even be compromised.

Enabling instruments contained within policy documents can spell whether the potential, thepossibility and the opportunity for addressing gender and development goals can be moreeasily achieved. It spells the difference in whether intentions and pronouncements can bedemonstrated and be made operational.



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6.0 A Note on GAD Institutionalization

Within the solid body of research that now exists, the analysis of the policy reductionstrategy papers conducted has been shown that many policies and programmes around the

world continue to show very limited and compartmentalised concerns with regard to genderequity. Among the various factors put forward to explain this, two in particular tend tofeature most frequently:

Gender is not viewed as a ‘core competence’ of policy-making bodies, either in theinternational development community or at national and local levels. There is thus a lack of gender expertise in these bodies. Where such expertise exists, it tends to be found ineither: (a) the sectors traditionally associated with gender and women’s issues; or (b) theprogrammes that directly address women’s concerns or gender equality efforts.

Limited consultation takes place with primary stakeholders. While having poor peopleparticipate directly in such consultations may take longer to achieve, the consultationshave also failed to include, or have included in a very token way, organisations that work

with the poor as well as those that work for gender equity goals. The ones consulted alsotended to be those who already had a relationship with governments and donors.17

Therefore, achieving the goal of mainstreaming GAD within the DENR requires that gender

be placed at the centre of official efforts in environment and natural resource management. The challenge is to integrate, adapt and concretize the GAD principles, goals and directionsthe Department’s mandate, structures and norms.

It is not enough for the policies to echo principles, goals and directions identified in nationallevel GAD laws. A deeper understanding and deeper appreciation of GAD and how GADapplies to the specific mandate of the Department is required. Indeed, adopting anoverarching mainstreaming strategy can make a significant contribution towards improving ENR efforts, as discussed in the literature review section of this report.

There is also a need to ensure that structures reflect the Department’s commitment toGender and Development. At present, the bodies that were created to decide on certainGAD issues are not permanent structures genuinely integrated in the official plantilla, withtheir own budgets and staff. As it is the case with the rest of the government, the GADbodies within DENR do not hold any clout or influence with, for example, the Office of theUndersecretary for Finance, unless they are backed by the Secretary. As a result GADinitiatives may be hindered by general budgetary limitations and the lack of appropriatepolicy reforms.

Also, the appointment of officials and staff, as leaders of or participants in GAD bodies, iscurrently being done on an add-on basis. This imposes an additional burden on theappointees, as GAD duties are expected to be performed by them, on top of their regularresponsibilities. It requires them to make additional investments in terms of time and effort.

A genuine commitment to GAD requires that due recognition be given to the importance of gender work, in the form of provisions for added compensation for the addedresponsibilities, or by unloading the appointees of at least some of his/her other duties. Inaddition, there is a need to qualify the context of their work, and to indicate concrete terms

of reference and scope of authority. Assigning a GAD champion (whether an individual of

17Kabeer, Naila. Gender Mainstreaming In Poverty Eradication and The Millennium Development Goals: AHandbook for Policy-makers and Other Stakeholders. From http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-42969-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html.



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high rank or office unit) who shall undertake gender mainstreaming as a primary function will better promote GAD goals.

GAD mainstreaming entails a process of coherence not only between policies andprogrammes, but also between norms and behavior. If the policy framework does notsupport GAD mainstreaming, programmes and projects will come up short, andexpectations will not be met. Consistency requires that a conscious effort is made by the

leadership to ensure that resources are allocated for GAD mainstreaming, gender sensitivebehavior is practiced and reinforced, and advocacy is demonstrated.

And GAD is not simply a concern of women. It should be treated not as a separate, distinctand external concern, but, rather, as an integral cross-cutting objective that also involvesmen.



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7.0 Conclusions and Recommendations: A Summary

The DENR has made palpable achievements in terms of promoting GAD awareness,gender equality, access to information, and mechanisms for participation within DENR.

Inclusion of gender issues and concerns, and the need for gender specific developmentinterventions has been achieved in broad policy pronouncements.

At this point, sufficient time and effort has been made in promoting awareness of GADissues. The task at hand is to move the department into a higher level of GAD response

– the mainstreaming of GAD into the Department’s core programs. Actions to actually mainstream gender should now be prioritised, such as rewarding efforts that articulate,reinforce, or expand on GAD ‘best practice’.

At present, while policy declarations regarding principles include GAD concerns, asmentioned above, these have not been adequately followed through in the policies’content. To wit:

• In the policy documents on the Department’s core programs, GAD issues andconcerns where discussed nominally.

• In the policy documents that have GAD as its core content, the handling of GADseems to be administrative. These policies, which appear to have been developedmerely as a means to comply with broader GAD laws, are not substantially gearedtowards GAD mainstreaming. .

The above points seem to indicate a need to deepen understanding regarding GADmainstreaming within the Department’s policy-making bodies. In addition, there is aneed to keep abreast of evolving issues in the gender discourse. A premium must beplaced on learning and sustaining GAD mainstreaming initiatives. A clear emphasis ondocumenting learning and communicating that learning to the rest of the DENR bureaucracy, other line agencies, and stakeholders within and outside the public sectormust be put in place.

This review has shown the DENR is in a unique position to become a model for gendermainstreaming to the rest of the government. To wit:

• Although item coding was low for core programs in general, the case study on a coreprogram of the Department points to the substantial contribution that gendermainstreaming can make towards the goal of gender equity.

• DENR should be in a position to develop and propagate models that target andcollect gender disaggregated data in a manner that can be easily accessed by alldivisions and bureaus or agencies attached to the department. Disaggregated datashould be seen as valuable input in the planning, implementation, monitoring andevaluation of all programmes and projects.

• Current DENR policies address some gender needs, including issues that pertain togender relations. These policies as aforementioned can be incorporated in

Deleted: ¶ ¶

¶



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mainstream rules and regulations, such as in staff development, employment termsand conditions, and contracting arrangements in a more comprehensive manner.

A more comprehensive GAD review will require a further study of the implementing rules and regulations of the specific policies; key procedures such as the integration of GAD in the social acceptability reviews conducted within the environment impactassessment; and, an evaluation of the Department’s budget.

DENR can pilot a programme for the constant application of a Gender Audit once every two years to assess progress made, document and communicate learning.

assessment of gender mainstreaming policies of the department of environment and natural resources...

Documents