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Through the Gender and Development Program initiative, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) conducted a three-day Technical Guidance Session on Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG) for Project Development, Implementation, Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation for its technical staff via online.
Designed to deconstruct existing knowledge on gender and development to rebuild a sharper, more inclusive lens, the activity aimed to ensure the absolute gender responsiveness of the Instituteโs program implementation and training materials.
In her opening remarks, ATIโs Assistant Director and Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS) Vice Chairperson Antonieta J. Arceo emphasized that the initiative sits at the intersection of global mandates and localized missions. Arceo challenged attendees to act as catalysts for change whose work would ripple across farming and fishing communities. "Ensuring equality is not an optional initiative or a supplementary projectโit is our primary responsibility," she quipped.ย
To guide this initiative, the Institute partnered with the Philippine Commission on Womenย and structured the activity around three actionable objectives: Deepening Knowledge of GAD Concepts, Mastering Gender Analysis Tools, and Integrating Gender Perspectives into Capacity Development.
The sessions highlighted the importance, but often underestimated, contribution made by women as the backbone of the country's agriculture and fisheries. Arceo emphasized that gender-blind training and agricultural programs only contribute to the perpetuation of inequality while ignoring valuable human resources; in contrast, gender-sensitive programs can help in uplifting the entire community.
Moreover, the activity ran from August 26 to 28, 2026, via Zoom, with ATI technical staff, GAD Focal, and GFPS members participating in HGDG project development, implementation, management, monitoring, and evaluation.ย
As a key government agency, ATI remains dedicated to advancing Gender Equality and Womenโs Empowerment. This commitment aligns with international agreements such as the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, and the Sustainable Development Goals, alongside the national mandates including the Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act 9710) and the Women in Development and Nation Building Act (Republic Act 7192).
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