CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) reiterates that advocacy for gender equality is not a competition between sexes but a call for fairness and equal recognition for all.
PCW Social Marketing Section Head Jescel Aquino emphasized that the push for gender equality should not be seen as a “war of sexes” or a contest over who is more capable of leading or who holds greater value in society.
“Gender equality is not about determining who is better or who should dominate. It is about ensuring equal respect and opportunities for women, men, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” she said during the Philippine Information Agency radio program.
The agency then clarified that empowering women does not mean neglecting the rights of men. Rather, the effort focuses on addressing the gaps and challenges that women continue to face in many sectors.
“We are pushing for empowerment because many women still experience unequal opportunities. But this does not mean that men’s rights should be ignored,” Aquino added.
PCW believes that gender equality cannot be achieved if one group progresses while another is left behind, and a truly inclusive society requires equal participation and recognition of all genders.
With this, PCW continues to strengthen programs that promote gender-responsive governance, women’s empowerment, and inclusive development, including the implementation of the Gender and Development (GAD) Program, capacity-building initiatives for government agencies and local government units, and advocacy campaigns that advance equal rights and opportunities for women, men, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Despite ongoing efforts, PCW acknowledged that the country and the rest of the world still have a long way to go before achieving full gender equality.
Based on findings from the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum, it could take about 123 years before global gender equality is fully realized.
The commission then renewed its call for stronger support for initiatives that promote equal rights and opportunities for women, men, and the LGBTQIA+ community from all national and local government agencies, as well as the private sector, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and community stakeholders.
Aquino said: “Gender equality means that no one should be left behind. Our goal is for women, men, and LGBTQIA+ individuals to equally experience and enjoy the rights and opportunities they deserve.” (AM/PIA CALABARZON)
