Sustainable Development Goal 5: How Does the Philippines Fare on Gender Equality?

The global goal to attain gender equality, including ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls, and ensuring their safety, is central to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Its attainment means that every person, regardless of sex, is empowered to reach his or her full potential. This entails both men and women being given equal opportunities to education, paid employment, and real decision-making power, whether in the private or public sector. This paper discusses how the country fares in several gender and gender-related indicators that can be used to monitor progress toward gender equality and women empowerment. It provides an overview of the current situation in areas such as equality of human capabilities, equality of economic opportunity, equality in political voice and leadership, and the safety of women and girls. The paper also identifies priorities for public policy while seeking new directions in a number of transformational issues to attain gender equality and women's empowerment in the country.