The Foreign Service Institute, in coordination with the Human Resource Management Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) conducted a Gender Sensitivity Training (Level 1) for the personnel of RCO La Union on 13 August 2016 at the Kahuna Beach Resort and Spa, La Union.
The GST was attended by nineteen (19) participants, seven (7) males and twelve (12) females. The training aims to sensitize members and personnel of the DFA and develop their professional and personal competencies in identifying and addressing issues involving gender that arise in the course of their work. It also aims to equip RCO’s personnel with basic knowledge in dealing with recurring issues such as sexual harassment.
An overview of the salient features of Magna Carta of Women, and the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law, and the Committee on Decorum and Investigation was provided by Atty. Jose Maria T. Paras of the HRMO-DFA. This was followed by a small group discussion of sample Sexual Harassment cases.
Ms. Dionne Marga M. Larin of FSI-GAD TWG discussed the basic concepts of sex and gender, gender socialization, gender roles and stereotypes, international and national framework, and gender-fair language.
The desired learning outcomes of the GST, as explained by Ms. Larin, include increase understanding of gender as a social construction and probing the role of social institutions in reinforcing and perpetuating gender inequalities; heightened awareness on personal gender biases and confront gender issues by becoming more aware of gender myths and facts; and increased understanding of key gender and development concepts.
Ms. Karla Mae Pabeliña of the TWG-FSI facilitated the activity on sex and gender, and gender roles. She also facilitated the discussion on whether particular images and videos are gender-sensitive.
