INTRODUCTION Gender inequality has always been a big issue around the world as well as in the Philippines.

Women have always been either discriminated against or underrepresented in the workplace, in education level, and even in political arena. Although there have been some amelioration to this issue recently, there are still a lot to do to overcome it in the Philippines as well as in the world. Many polls and surveys on gender inequality administered around the country had helped to sort out the truth behind this issue in our society and provide enough evidence that such thing still exist. Gender inequality or also known as gender stratification, is the unequal distribution of a societys wealth, power, and privilege between females and males.1 It may also refer to the disparity between individuals due to gender.2 Gender inequality can also be defined as the obvious or hidden disparity between male and female.3 Gender is constructed both socially through social interactions as well as biologically through chromosomes, brain structure, and hormonal differences.4 Gender inequality is amongst us all in any given society. Although gender is not as simple as may seem, Gender comes into play along with a number of different aspects such as sex, gender and gender roles. Each of these aspects plays a significant part when speaking of the different social problems encountered by men and women. Sex makes up the biological differences; of male or female. Gender is the socially learned behaviors that are attached to the sexes which create Gender Roles.5 Gender roles constitute the attitudes and behaviors that are expected of males and females in a given culture of society.
1 2

Scott and Schwartz, 2000, http://www.customwritings.com/blog/sample-essays/gender-inequality-essay.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_inequality 3 http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/166227.html 44 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_inequality. Wood, Julia. Gendered Lives. 6th. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2005. 5 Henslin, p. 32), http://www.customessaymeister.com/customessays/Sociology/16321.htm

It is these gender roles that give the impact of gender inequality amongst the male and the female sex. The question on how gender inequality shapes peoples' life chances is one that has been echoing widely through minds of modern society in the recent decades. Historically sociologists have suggested, amongst various other reasons that biological differences between men and women constitute as one of the main reasons for males having better job opportunities. In our time today gender inequality is manifested in different areas in the society, such as, educational institution, work place, social services, political and economic institutions. These problems are still rampant that many feminist groups emerged that pressure the government in given equal right between sexes. Gender Inequality in Education Education is key to peace and Social Development6. The educational system is also one of the factors that disparity may be evident. The terrain of gender inequalities in education has seen much change in recent decades. The value of education is well-known and is widely acknowledged.7 Recognizing it as a crucial instrument in improving welfare and alleviating poverty, countries all over the world have ranked it as a leading global concern. Equal access to education makes possible the social and economic mobility of the poor. By enhancing the skills of the underprivileged groups, education is an important factor in putting a stop to poverty. Even though most, if not all, countries identify education for all as an important factor in economic progress, many countries are still far from achieving mass participation. In recent years, especially in the international arena, increasing attention has been paid to
6 7

UNICEF Education and Peace building, http://www.unicef.org/education/index.php http://www.econ.upd.edu.ph/dp/index.php/dp/article/viewFile/66/58

equity issues in education. As several of these studies suggest, access to education among various groups in many countries is severely unequal.8 In fact,
two-thirds of the world's children who receive less than four years of education are girls. This might explain why 70% of the 855 million illiterate adults in the world are

female.9 In the case of the Philippines, difference in economic income and geographical location makes education not attainable. Only children who are in the urban area have the capacity to completely benefit from education. The affluent and the elite are the only one who can propel their children to school and eventually achieved proper education. Thus, people who reside in rural areas that are poor can only send few of their children to school. Most of this is boys, for they believe that girls in the family has obligation in the household chores, hence, formal education is not necessary. Consequently, gender inequality exists. Gender Inequality in the Workplace Back in the 1970s, only two (2) percent of executives were female. Today, 52% of middle management is women.10 Obviously, great strides have been made in the last few decades when it comes to women in the workplace. Ever since it became the rule rather than the exception for women to work outside of the home, the issue of discrimination in the workplace has been a serious dilemma. Women have consistently been paid less and promoted less often than men, and they have often been treated in a more demeaning and less professional manner than their male counter-parts.

8 9

Ibid., Thomas et al., 2001 UNFPA, I Protect the Children be a Peace Keeper., http://www.iamapeacekeeper.com/genderinequalityinsociety.htm 10 http://robwrite.hubpages.com/hub/Gender-Equality-in-the-Workplace

Gender equality goes downhill once you enter the job market. A woman earns only 80 cents for every dollar a man earns.11 This study signifies that the status of woman in workplace is not given significance. Employers tend to hire men in contrast to women in the sense that men do not have many benefits to be addressed, such as, maternity leave. Wherein, the pregnant woman are given two (2) months leave with pay and other benefits associated with the person.12 Although there are numerous laws that prevent the prejudice of women in the workplace (RA 7322, RA 7600, RA 7192 and RA 7688); there is still a prevalent inequality between gender in the government and private sector in the Philippines. Gender Inequality in Social Institution Social Institutions - defined as norms, cultural values and attitudes - can hamper progress towards gender equality.13 Social institutions are key to understanding gender equality. Although formal rights may be established, women in many countries do not have equal access to inheritance, they cannot own land or property, suffer from sexual assault or domestic violence, and need to be accompanied by a male member of the family when leaving the house. Another manifestation of gender inequality in our society is the notion of marriage. Men are given a great deal of freedom to choose the person they want to tie the knot and sometimes can marry more than two women partners. The status of women in the society is not given much significance that it leads to intolerance and abuse. The government imposes certain laws to at least deviate the situation. The RA 9262 of 2004 act Defining Violence against

11

http://www.harvardindependent.com/2011/12/gender-inequality-in-the-workplace-education-does-not-equalsuccess-1201/ 12 RA 7322 (March 30, 1992), An Act Increasing Maternity Benefits in Favor of Women Workers in the Private Sector, Amending for the Purpose Section 14-A of Republic Act No. 1161, as Amended and for Other Purposes., http://www.smartparenting.com.ph/mom-dad/taking-care-of-mom/womens-rights-in-the-philippines-a-list-oflaws-protecting-women-and-mothers 13 http://www.wikigender.org/index.php/Gender_inequality,_social_institutions_and_the_MDGs

Women and Their Children, Providing Protective Measures for Victims and Prescribing Penalties is only one of the few that were implemented by the government in response for woman protection. Gender Inequality in Economic and Political Institution While gender inequalities have diminished in some aspects of life, they remain deeply rooted in others. In no country around the world do men and women enjoy equality in economic and political participation, earnings, educational attainment, general health, and physical security. Most of the household in the Philippines, men are the one make a living, thus, they have the dominance in financial matters in the house. Men also have more purchasing power than women. They can buy things without the sanction of their wives. This may be indicated on how men control the influx and outflow of the money within the family. In other hand, political disparity may also be visible among the Filipinos. Barely few women are nominated and elected as government officials. Merely a minority laws were passed in the legislative branch in connection to women rights. A great number of these proposed laws (bills) are under debate in the House of Representatives and the Senate. In contrast, Gender equality is enshrined in the Constitution (1987),14 and forms the basis of legislation and national development plans targeted at the advancement and empowerment of women. But if we look at it, the government is still lacking commitment and political-will to solve and terminate this predicament. CONCLUSION Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable

14

Legal Frameworks for Gender Equality., http://www.unwomeneseasia.org/docs/factsheets/07%20PHILIPPINES%20factsheet.pdf

development and building good governance, a quote given by Kofi Annan a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations and co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. This quote may summarize the factors that contribute to gender inequality not only in the Philippines but all over the world. Gender Inequality is so rampant that people are ready to die and sacrifice their lives in exchange of equality among humanity; men or woman, black or white, rich or poor. Through this unequal treatment between people, conflict emerges. It only means, Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful and not to be neutral.15 The facts of gender inequality is that the restrictions placed on women's choices, opportunities and participation - have direct and often malign consequences for women's health and education, and for their social and economic participation. Yet until recent years, these restrictions have been considered either unimportant or non-existent, either accepted or ignored. This is unfortunate for woman rights advocates who are willing to make a change in the society. Women in our society are given less value that leads to woman subordination dominance of men over woman. The existence of this problem only indicates that the government and the society as a whole are still adhering to our historical tradition of having a patriarchal society. Thus, this appears to be the case when it comes to the influence of social and cultural norms on the status of women. Tradition is a guide and not a jailer. The Philippines along with the society that it possesses should go through the process of transformation from a patriarchal to a more gender friendly environment. Therefore, the countries that possess equality among men are a nation of wealth a true and genuine freedom for all.
15

Paulo Freire., http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/inequality

SAMAR COLLEGE Inc. Catbalogan City, Samar COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Social Dimension of Education

(TTH 4:00 5:30)

Men and Women: Humanity, equality & freedom (A research paper about Gender Inequality)

Submitted by: OBREGON, Ma. Angelica C. 12-9009 BSeD 3 Social Studies (CIT)

Submitted to: Mrs. Rosario Nacar Prof. Ed. Instructor