The goals of Filipino women amid violence and discrimination
by Santosh Digal
Over 47% of managers and executives are women and over 20% of female employees have successfully completed university studies, thanks to the initiatives promoted by the Church. Women are still subordinate to men especially in rural areas. Lily, a professor of nursing at a Catholic University of Manila talks about her experience.
Manila (AsiaNews) - "My parents would never have imagined that in the future more girls could study like men and of their 12 children (6 females and 6 males) only the girls would finish college and find a job" . This is the story of Lily F. Famadico, professor of nursing at the Catholic University of Santo Tomas in Manila, marking today’s international celebration of Women's Day. "In the city – she adds – Filipino women are still not aware of their rights as workers: in public, private and rural areas they are still on the margins of society."
In the popular imagination, Filipino women are still subordinate to their husbands and men in general and are often the victims of violence and discrimination, especially in the home. In 2004 the Philippine government, launched the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, but the cultural substratum of the population hinders the measure’s effective implementation. This situation has not prevented women from achieving significant milestones in recent years, especially in education and in the economy.
A study on the educational level of women and men by the National Statistics Office (NSO) shows that 20% of working women have completed university studies, while only 10% of men have a degree. According to the Grant Thornton International Business Report, in 2009 about 47% of managers and business executives are Filipino women. The figure is the highest in the world. The presence of women plays an important role abroad. Out of an estimated 11 million Filipino workers abroad 60% are women and in the Philippines about 10% of the economy depends on remittances from migrants.
Lily F. Famadico, observes: "Women should assert their rights and be aware of their duties, and develop themselves with the help of laws, men and society, especially in poorer regions of the country."
In the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia with East Timor, the Church plays a key role in developing education and awareness of women. One example of this work is the Institute of Studies on Women organized by the Catholic St. Scholastica College in Manila. Since 1988, the institute offers courses to women for work orientation, spiritual formation and leadership, and through groups composed of both sexes helps men to understand the needs of women and their potential.
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