In pursuance of the PMO MOC’s Gender and Development commitment, its employees participated in an unusual training-workshop on Gender Sensitivity on 23 April and 03 May 2019.

The seminar-workshop was not the usual lecture type using audio visual presentations that the employees are accustomed to. They did not even need pen and paper to jot down notes. The resource speaker, Dr. Dixon Yasay, Director of Governance and Leadership Institute at Xavier University—Ateneo de Cagayan, was able to impart lessons and insights through creative and innovative activities (with energizing ice breakers in between) aimed at igniting paradigm shift among the participants regarding the topic and so much more.

Dr. Yasay made emphasis that gender sensitivity, in general sense, is to give respect to the human dignity. In the work environment, to be gender sensitive entailed also the understanding and recognition of one’s own strength, weaknesses, capabilities, and outlooks and of others’ as well. The diversity of these traits is regarded as an advantage for an organization (e.g. the weakness of a co-worker can be offset by the strength of the other). Further, one must stand from the point of view of others to be able to completely understand them, instead of giving judgments based from one’s own perspective alone.

The participants underwent several exercises and games that involved group dynamics, self-introspection, a piece of personality development, among others, that are deemed helpful in fostering a gender-sensitive organization.   —IMR Lam