BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Agriculture Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) conducted the second round of Gender Sensitivity Training (GST)-Training of Trainers (TOT) to enhance participants’ facilitation and training skills on gender sensitivity, effectively plan, organize, implement, monitor, and evaluate gender sensitivity sessions on September 4-6, 2024 at the Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center in Dontogan, Baguio City.
The TOT also aims to develop a core group of trainers within the agency to conduct gender sensitivity training.
Topics tackled include legal mandates supporting gender and development (GAD), concepts on sex and gender, gender stereotyping, gender roles, gender division of labor, socialization and its processes, social conditioning, social institutions, GAD, gender sensitivity, and gender mainstreaming.
Dr. Ferdinand Gonzales, Head of the Technical Working Group of the Cordillera Regional GAD Committee underscored the importance of gender sensitivity in today’s society. As gender issues continue to arise in today’s age, he advised that one must be gender sensitive, noting that gender biases hinder development.
“Everyone should be gender sensitive, we are being hindered because of gender biases. Everyone must see what women and men can do rather than assuming; hear their needs, priorities and perspective; put value in women’s work; respect everyone’s views and human rights; and care on what would be the impact of a program in them,” he advised to the participants, reiterating that GAD is not for women only, but for every member of the society.
DA-CAR GAD 1st Alternate Focal Person Dr. Aida Pagtan also emphasized the need to integrate GAD perspective in programs, projects and activities as part of the GAD efforts of the agency.
The participants also conducted a return demo to assess their understanding regarding GAD. The employees may also seek to be certified as a GAD trainer if they sought to be a trainer outside their workplace.
Gonzales also commended the participants’ performance during their return demo, and efforts to learn and share to others about GAD. He hopes that all the participants will be able to conduct GAD-related training within the agency. By Cy-j E. Waytan