EDITORIAL - Gender equality for sustainability

On the eve of International Women’s Day, President Duterte signed a law raising the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16. This should improve the country’s efforts against statutory rape, child prostitution and online sexual exploitation of children, with girls still the biggest victims.

Beyond protecting women and girls from sexual abuse, this year’s Women’s Day continues to focus on achieving gender equality, with the United Nations emphasizing its importance in sustainability efforts.

The world has come a long way in terms of gender equality. Even during the pandemic, women have been in the front lines of providing health care. Women are also actively participating in research for COVID vaccines and treatments.

In the past year, Danish toy giant Lego ended its gender-targeted packaging of its products. Women accounted for a record 49 percent of athletes who participated in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. And US electronic stock exchange NASDAQ required 3,000 publicly traded companies to include in their boards at least one woman and one self-identified LGBTQ+ as well as promote racial diversity.

Also last year, Kamala Harris was sworn in as America’s first woman vice president, and the first of Black and Asian descent. For the first time, the World Trade Organization also picked a woman and African as its head: Nigerian Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. In 2021, several countries elected or swore in women heads of state or government: Barbados, Estonia, Moldova, Tanzania, Samoa, Uganda, Tunisia, Sweden and Honduras.

Gender equality is one area where the Philippines has ranked high in international surveys. The country has had two women presidents, and the incumbent vice president is running for the highest office in May. Filipino women have distinguished themselves in many sectors and have broken the glass ceiling in areas long dominated by men.

The country has passed landmark laws against gender discrimination, domestic violence and sexual harassment including catcalls and wolf whistles. Enforcement, however, has been spotty, and many women are unaware of their rights guaranteed by law. It also took time before legal impediments against the full implementation of the reproductive health law were removed.

Apart from the political sphere, the UN is pushing for greater participation of women in climate change adaptation and response. The theme for today’s observance is “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.” Climate change will be around long after the COVID-19 pandemic has reached endemic state, and women play a critical role in confronting climate change.