Females still discriminated against in PHL schools — CHED chair

Unlike in other countries, more females have set foot in school than males in the Philippines, a government official said at a United Nations (UN) forum that concluded over the weekend. But the numbers only paint half the picture, said Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chair Patricia Licuanan at the 55th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. During the session, Licuanan called attention to the persisting female discrimination in schools despite data that show higher enrollment rates among females than males. Licuanan said females, for example, comprise 54 percent of the country’s college population. Data from the UN show most of the world lagging behind the Philippines with a 52 percent average enrollment rate among females. Formerly chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, Licuanan noted that the issue in the Philippines “is not gender equality and access to education, but access to quality education for the poor and those living in rural areas." “We are also warned not to be lulled into complacency by simple access statistics, because gender sensitivity and access to gender-fair education are also issues, surfacing in situations where girls and young women suffer more subtle discrimination in school, such as sexual harassment and violence against women and girls," she said. A recent case involves a college dean who allegedly forced a female student into sexual intercourse with him in exchange for passing marks. The dean also allegedly posted the student’s nude pictures on the popular social networking site Facebook. Education not translated into work Licuanan, also former president of the all-girl Miriam College, added that opportunities for schooling do not necessarily translate into work for women in the Philippines. “Labor-force participation of women remains lower than men. Men are more likely to be wage and salary and own-account workers, while women are more likely to be unpaid workers and comprise 85 percent of the informal economy," she said. Licuanan also said some fields of study give females scarce opportunities. A report on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) website quotes her as saying, “Women dominate the fields of teacher education, humanities, social sciences, business administration medical and allied fields, home economics, mass communication, and even natural sciences and mathematics, but remain underrepresented in engineering and technology, fine and applied arts, religion and theology, law and jurisprudence, architecture and town planning, trade and industry, agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and maritime studies." The Commission on the Status of Women describes education as “a basis of women’s empowerment." “Investing in women and girls has positive multiplier effects on the well-being of their families, their communities and nations," the commission says. The commission also presents a list of “good practices" from different countries in combating gender stereotypes and improving the quality of education for women: