Section 3 - Educating and Partnering for CEDAW

The Ladies’ Choice supplement featuring “CEDAW 101” in Philippine Star in
March 2006 and the full page ad on CEDAW by Modess in the Bulletin in March
2007 were results of WFS partnership with advertising agencies, the latter in
cooperation with CEDAW Watch.
From March to November 2006, WFS media events were covered by columnists
and reporters from Philippine Daily Inquirer, Business World, Philippine Star,
Sorsogon Guardian, The Bicol Regional Weekly Digest, Mindanao Times and MOD
Magazine. This generated 15 stories from all over the country. CEDAW reports
garnered front page status in Mindanao Times (on the CEDAW Knowledge Fair
and Exhibit) and Baguio community papers.
CEDAW in the Internet
In the months of July and August 2006, WFS decided to take CEDAW to the
message boards, introducing topics like “Gender Equality and Discrimination”
and “Multiple Perspectives on Sex Education”. The more popular boards, like
PinoyExchange, GIRLTalk, Tsinoy.com, Teentalk (via Candymag.com) and Men’s
Health were scoped as ideal sites for conducting forums.
Message boards are like high-traffic portals to youth-oriented communities keen
on discussing either a specific or varied range of topics. There’s something there
for everyone, and the mix of responses garnered from the aforementioned WFS
forums have been pretty disparate, but in a good way.
People who frequent message boards aren’t just students. They represent a part
of a workforce eager to discuss issues of interest to them. Some are Filipinos
based abroad who make it a point to know what’s going on in the motherland and
at the same time, have the desire to engage in the discussion.
Forum #1: Gender equality and discrimination
Given the success of women in various fields, does this mean that women have
finally achieved a certain degree of equality with men To what extent are women
reaping the benefits Also, how would you define discrimination based on gender
Where in current Filipino society do you think discrimination exists
Forum took place in July 2006 in the following message boards:
1. FemaleNetwork.com: GirlTalk:: The Political Arena – 0 responses
2. Candymag.com: TeenTalk:: What’s Happening – 2 responses
3. Tsinoy.com: Revolution Café – 1 response
4. PinoyExchange.com: Local & Foreign Issues – 15 responses
Forum #2: Multiple perspectives on sex education
Noting the recent sex education controversy involving the Catholic Church’s
insistence on discontinuing the implementation of Department of Education’s
Lesson Guides on Adolescent Reproductive Health in the High School Curriculum:
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