Isabela State University, Cauayan City, 7 February 2024. The Regional Gender and Development Committee RGADC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC2) successfully concluded the 2-day levelling session on increasing agency’s Gender and Development (GAD) attribution cum review of the 2023 GAD accomplishment report.

The levelling session was the first major activity of the RGADC for the year. It aims to strengthen the capacity of GFPS of RDC2-RGADC members on mainstreaming their mandated programs, support services, research, and instruction. The levelling session utilized learning techniques like lectures, workshops, question and answer, and presentation of outputs for participatory engagement.

The participants improved their ability to examine the nature, origin, extent, and effects of gender biases and issues using the Harvard, Moser, and Longwe frameworks as gender analysis tools. The importance of gender statistics which serve as evidences of the existence of gender gaps, inequality and disparity was emphasized. The Gender Mainstreaming Enhancement Framework (GMEF), and the Gender-Responsive local government unit (GeRL) tools served as guide in GAD mainstreaming at the national and local government unit levels, respectively. The training team also facilitated the preparation of GAD Plan and Budget, and enhanced GAD fund attribution in their accomplishment reports.

The levelling session had a total of 144 participants coming from RGADC member agencies’ GAD Focal Point System (GFPS), and budget officers. The Isabela State University through its GAD Resource and Research Development Center facilitated the conduct of the levelling session. Applicants for the Regional Pool of GAD Resource Persons were tapped as resource speakers and members of the training team.