Lagawe, Ifugao (15 August) — The provincial government and the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) signed a Memorandum of Agreement to establish a gender-responsive enabling environment at the local level.
Governor Teddy Baguilat Jr., in his speech during the launching and MOA signing said the project is timely as the province is currently instilling business sense among our constituents as we aim to answer the growing rate of unemployment through sustainable livelihood.
“This program though focused mainly on economic empowerment and capacity building of women will greatly help in the upliftment of the economic status of the province and our campaign to end violence against women by strengthening their important roles in the society,” Baguilat said.
The Gender-Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women (Great Women) Project aims to contribute to the establishment of a gender-responsive environment for the economic empowerment of women by enhancing the capabilities of NCRFW and its partners at the national and local levels on mainstreaming gender and development and women’s rights in economic governance and in microenterprise policy and program development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Baguilat disclosed that economic dependence matters much in raising the self esteem of women especially in their participation in major decision makings and community matters. “The role in the community will not anymore be just limited to taking care of the house and tending to their umas but will expand to being equal with their partner in the provision of the material needs of the family.
Ms Florence Manangan, the Local Civic Coordinator of NCRFW here said that the project which is a five year undertaking supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) covers the whole province but will be piloted in the municipalities of Lamut, Lagawe, Kiangan, Hingyon, Banaue and Hungduan. (PIA-Ifugao)
