Representatives from state universities, colleges, and private higher education institutions gathered to commit to promoting gender equality and combating discrimination. They agreed to 10 undertakings: 1) revising educational materials to remove gender stereotypes; 2) providing gender and human rights training to educators; 3) developing gender-sensitive curricula; 4) creating fair instructional materials; 5) establishing scholarship programs for marginalized women; 6) protecting pregnant women faculty from discrimination; 7) prohibiting expulsion of pregnant students; 8) assisting pregnant students to complete their studies; 9) preventing violence against women; and 10) coordinating with authorities to help victims of violence and discrimination. The participants signed the agreement at the first regional summit on

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GENDER
DEVELOPMENT
&
Emerson Rey S.

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DECLARATION
OF
COMMITMENT AND PARTNERSHIP

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We,
THE PARTICIPANT REPRESENTATIVES
OF STATE UNIVERSITIES AND
COLLEGES, OTHER PUBLIC HIGHER
EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, AND
PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS, hereby covenant and
commit ourselves and our respective unit
bureaucracies to the following:

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Ensure that gender
stereotypes and images in
existing educational materials
and curricula are adequately
and appropriately revised,
and that Gender-sensitive
language be used at all times,
1.

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2.Pursue capacity-building
on gender and
development(GAD),
peace and human rights
education for teachers,
and all those involved in
the education sector;

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3.Develop and promote
gender-sensitive
curriculum;

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4.Develop gender-fair
instructional materials;

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5.Provide scholarship
programs for marginalized
women and girls and ensure
that conditions such as age,
pregnancy, motherhood,
disabilities, or lack of
consent of husband shall
not be grounds for
disqualification in the grant
of scholarships;

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6.Ensure that women faculty who become
pregnant outside of marriage shall not be
discriminated by reason thereof, taking into
account the school’s academic freedom as
constitutionally guaranteed. They shall not
be dismissed, separated from work, forced
to go on leave, re-assigned or transferred
without due process. They shall have
access to work already held with no
diminution in rank, pay or status and shall
be entitled to all benefits accorded by law
and by the concerned learning institutions,
subject to the school’s exercise of its
institutional academic freedom;

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7.Ensure that no female student
shall be expelled, dismissed,
suspended, refused or denied
of admission, or forced to take
leave of absence in any
educational institution solely
on grounds of pregnancy
outside marriage during her
school term;

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8.Ensure that pregnant
students shall be assisted
through available support
services while in school,
such as but not limited to
counselling to ensure
completion of their studies;

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9.Develop programs and policies to
prevent Violence Against
Women(VAW), including institutional
mechanisms for complaints in cases
of rape, sexual harassment, and
other forms of violence and
discrimination against women, and
provide assistance to students
faculty , or personnel who have been
victims of VAW;

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10.Coordinate with PNP, DOJ,
CHR, DSWD, and the LGU
so that appropriate
assistance are given to
female faculty and students
who are victims of rape,
sexual harassment and other
forms of violence against
women and discrimination.

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We HEREBY AGREE AND
COVENANT TO ALL THE
FOREGOING UNDERTAKINGS
THIS ___ DAY OF ___ 2012 AT
_________________________
ON THE OCCASION OF THE 1ST
REGIONAL SUMMIT ON
GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT.

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THANK
YOU
THANK
Ladies & gentlemen!