Women in the Philippines

By JoeAm on September 12, 2024

Analysis and Opinion

By Joe America

I was surprised to read a report on gender equality recently that cited the Philippine global ranking on the 2024 SDG Gender Index at 70th among 139 nations. This is essentially a ranking on opportunity for women.

The Philippines scored right smack in the middle. This low position surprised me because the Philippines seems to me to be pretty much unrestrained as to where women can work and go. Schools are open, there have been women legislators and presidents. Maybe they are held back in business, at the top. Wage inequality? I don't know. Women serve in the military.

What's this index about?

Here's the web site: 2024 SDG Gender Index. And you can download the full 2024 report here.

But I'll cut to the chase. The criteria forming the index are identified starting on page 42 of the report. They are lengthy and broad. So broad that it is impossible for any nation to achieve the ideal. Climate change is one of the criteria. Are women fairly represented on delegations on the climate change? Boy howdy, that seems to me to be a tad petty and off the mark. Storms don't seek out women and girls. They are gender irrelevant.

Of the 56 measures in the index, I'd say 80% are not measuring CAUSES or direct material evidence of gender inequality. They just measure things, lots of things, diluting the real essence of gender participation and discrimination. I put the whole index in the trash can. But before doing that, I reviewed and extracted a few of the more relevant measures.

Here are the major categories that I think are not gender discriminatory in the Philippines, and the gender score should be 100%. Equal. They might be gender issues in other nations. Education, for example.

Poverty
Zero hunger
Quality education
Clean water and sanitation
Affordable and clean energy
Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
Sustainable cities and communities
Climate action
Partnerships for the goals (huh?)

Here are the major categories that do affect women differently than men, in the Philippines.

Good health and well-being (maternity care, teen pregnancies, family planning)
Gender equality (teen marriage, family care, abortion rights, proportion of women in govt)
Decent work and economic growth (wage equality, family earner, freedom of association, maternal leave, banking accounts)
Reduced inequalities (wealth inequality, freedoms, human rights, migration)
Peace, justice, and strong institutions (access to justice, women homicides, feeling safe)

Does the Philippines have a major gender inequality problem? I'd say no. It is a healthy, vibrant place with open opportunities for women from school to the presidency. Women have voice. They are doctors, lawyers, teachers, businesswomen, and everywhere in government. Does the Catholic moral foundation of the Philippines constrain women? Sure. No divorce, no abortions. But is choice of religion not a free right?

Frankly, I'd say gender is one of the least troublesome issues on the table in the Philippines today. (It's huge in Afghanistan). Rights can always be fine tuned. Is there wage discrimination? Gender discrimination in big corporations? We should know more.

Without question, the big problem in the Philippines today is corruption. And from that, poverty. It hits both men and women hard, and that's what should be on the front burner.

I'd welcome your views on the matter.

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Cover photograph created by Word Press image generator using the blog article as a prompt.