Following the doubling cases of negative experiences of women in society, the Adamson University - Concerned Adamsonians for Responsible and Empathetic Support (AdU-CARES) held a webinar that featured three notable guest speakers to empower women as the world celebrated women’s month.
The webinar entitled ‘The Age of Feminism: Birthing Body Sovereignty and Sexual Rights’ was held via Zoom on March 12.
During a virtual interview, Ma. Elenie Mangsat, President of AdU-CARES, shared that the ideology of feminism is a vital concept more people should learn as women become well familiar with gender-based problems.
“As a fundamental principle of feminist thought, the idea that women should be treated on an equal footing with men in all aspects of society is at its core. All women should have equal rights, and feminism aims to achieve this,” she stated.
The preparation of AdU-CARES was mainly for one of the factors of the said event, which was its guests known as advocates of feminism, including Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Samira Gutoc, and Hon. Sarah Elago.
In the video message from Sen. Hontiveros, she said that women are one of the main sectors that will benefit from her senatorial campaign: Healthy Buhay at Hanapbuhay.
“...Walang pinipiling oras ang pagtataguyod ng isang pamumuhay na may dignidad at pagkakapantay-pantay,” she said.
Along with Sen. Hontiveros, Ms. Samira Gutoc, a women's Internally Displaced People (IDP) rights advocate, responded and accepted the request of Mangsat to join the talk as one of the two main speakers.
Despite the lack of time, Gutoc pointed out some prominent issues women face and encouraged the attendees to use their social media platforms to spread awareness.
“Please react. Please share something… [Make a] TikTok about it… Do anything. Torture the speech. Do something, and let’s wake up the world. We run this world, girls,” she advised.
Furthermore, Ms. Sarah Jane Elago, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and representative of Kabataan Partylist, presented different data and articles that showed the impact of the pandemic on women and discussed the part of the youth in exercising human rights.
“We must remember that we are not alone in all of these; the young people are part of brother movements for people’s empowerment and the promotion of rights and democracy,” she said.
Mangsat also asserted that she and her team did each of their parts accordingly, so they didn’t encounter any problem before the execution of the webinar.
Afterward, students who attended shared their experiences and takeaways from the event.
Danica Tonido, a first-year BS Psychology major and a member of AdU-CARES, shared that despite the technical difficulties the team had during their webinar, her overall experience was still great.
“The hosts were lively and tried their best to encourage the participants to participate in the activity. The guest speakers are well-spoken, equipped with knowledge, and accommodating when someone asks a question,” she added.
She also mentioned that the topics tackled were a big help to her in many ways.
“As a woman and part of the LGBTQ community, the webinar is helpful to me to have the courage to speak up when I am abused, discriminated against, etc. Lastly, I [should] not be afraid anymore because some laws and organizations will help and protect me against various types of harm,” she said.
Moreover, Mikhaela Alcantara, a first-year student taking up BS Psychology and a member of AdU-CARES, said that she also had a pleasant experience because of the contents and the flow of the program.
“Aside from the very much insightful talk, the hosts were entertaining and prepared icebreakers for the attendees. It truly felt like a safe space for women and their rights,” she stated.
Additionally, she ended her sharing through her takeaway about what people can do to attain a society with gender equality.
“Feminism requires collective effort. If we want women to be able to move freely and live with no gender boundaries, we should continue adhering to laws that protect their rights, promote fair treatment in all aspects, especially in the workplace, and continue educating everyone about their sexual rights,” she added.
"Screengrab from AdU-CARES zoom event"
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