Gender is about the different roles and behaviours of men and women, the relationship between them and

how they are perceived. Social inclusion is the promotion and protection of the rights of all people regardless of their sex, age, ethnic background, or disability so that everyone can participate and benefit from development. Taken together gender equality and social inclusion means that all women and men have equal opportunity to realise their full human rights and potential to contribute to development. And everyone should benefit from its results. The Philippines Provincial Road Management Facility (PRMF) mainstreams gender equality and social inclusion principles by integrating them into all stages of its programming cycle. This means working closely with Local Government Units (LGUs) to build their knowledge on how to include gender dimensions into road sector management processes and policy development. In this way, all PRMF participating communities can benefit from long-term economic and social development through the delivery of of services for the rehabilitation and maintenance of provincial roads.

Sustainable and equal benefits

The main focus of PRMF is on promoting gender equality and social inclusion in the key reform area Road Sector Management and Service Delivery. Improvements in road surfaces often mean an increase in motorised traffic at increased speed. Road safety affects everyone, but due to their roles and responsibilities in the home and community, women are often more frequent travelers on the roads.

It is often assumed that women and men will automatically (and equally) benefit from new infrastructure, without any acknowledgement of the full In addition, women and children are also more likely to walk. Road range of potential social and economic impacts, both positive and safety improvements can be made by constructing speed bumps negative. PRMF is taking the time and investing the resources so that along school crossings or near social gathering places. To address this womens voices are important issue, PRMF is heard and their holding a Road Safety What is responsive infrastructure? priorities accurately Workshop for all identified and participating LGUs in addressed. Designs, 2012 to address road implementation and safety and gender and monitoring and social inclusion aspects evaluation of projects more will include comprehensively. measurable objectives to make sure gender Maintenance and equality and social construction inclusion principles PRMF is working with are getting the partner LGUs to attention they overcome gender deserve. stereotyping and to reduce occupational Planning and segmentation by creating and design expanding womens Involving women job opportunities in and vulnerable groups technical and managerial is critical to the success and sustainability of all road improvement positions. This includes providing appropriate facilities and projects. Participating provinces have developed a Provincial Road addressing security issues which can be a barrier to womens Network Development Plan (PRNDP) in which the LGU outlines their participation in the workforce. roles and responsibilities in achieving an improved road network. The PRNDP also sets out the LGUs commitment statement to gender equality and social inclusion. The Provincial Government of Agusan recently held a workshop with womens groups in 3 barangays to gain better understanding of how to make road improvement The PEO in Misamis Oriental has developed a Guide to activities more inclusive. The womens groups emphasised Community Consultation which pays special attention to that they could i) provide support to barangay officials in engaging women and vulnerable groups in a meaningful vegetation control and cleaning of ditches; ii) assist in way. This includes being aware of factors such as the monitoring materials and supplies; and iii) monitor location and scheduling of meetings, including established engineering work and report any malpractice. The womens groups in dialogue and easily accessible workshop ended with a commitment signing activity, mechanisms for feedback. In this way, womens participation where each participant affixed their signature on their role and involvement is likely to be higher and therefore have a and commitment. The barangay captains and contractors positive outcome for the project. also affirmed their support for the road project.

Across the provinces engineers in the Provincial Engineers Office (PEO) are being coached on how to review road designs through a gender and/or social inclusion lens. This means analysing whether the road designs take into consideration the needs and priorities identified by women and vulnerable groups that can impact on their benefit from road improvement. A gender and social inclusion lens review may highlight the need for properly constructed drainage with adequate access points in consideration of children, elderly and pregnant women.

All participating provinces have drafted Road Maintenance Strategies for their road network. This Strategy includes a commitment to supporting and promoting womens participation where appropriate and after careful analysis. For example, women can receive direct income benefits that construction and maintenance work generates.

Maintenance and construction

PRMF has a responsive performance management framework. The Facility is collecting baseline and ongoing sex-disaggregated data and has gender-sensitive indicators to measure benefits and impacts for women, men and children. PRMF is also assisting the provinces to strengthen their provincial monitoring and evaluation systems. All Provincial Planning and Development Offices are involved in capacity building activities to better undertake socio-economic analysis of ongoing and future projects so they can be better targeted to deliver gender equality and social inclusion outcomes.

About PRMF
PRMF is a five- year (20092014), Php4.3 billion (A$100-million) development initiative of the Governments of the Philippines and Australia. Through PRMF, the Australian Government helps provincial governments to put in place the governance systems that will enable them to maintain their roads over time, while rehabilitating and maintaining a core road network in up to 10 provinces in Mindanao and the Visayas. PRMF aims to boost the local economy by improving road transport so that more people will have better access to rehabilitated and maintained road networks, economic activity and public infrastructure and services that will improve their livelihoods. Better roads will also improve access to jobs, health services and essential social and educational facilities in rural and regional areas. FOR MORE INFORMATION See www.prmf.org.ph or contact
OIBONE C. ENOBIO Communications Officer Philippines Provincial Road Management Facility (PRMF) Supported by Australian Aid Coffey International Development 19th Floor, Salcedo Towers, 169 H.V dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City, Philippines T (+63) (2) 753 1241 ext 108 F (+63) (2) 753 2150 M (+63) (917) 590 6941 Email: PRMF@ prmf.org.ph