The ICT Office must work closely with the PCW and other genderfocused stakeholders to address the needs of women and ensure that their concerns are considered from the planning stages of an e-government project until its full implementation. The PCW, through its Focal Point System, must re-double its efforts to ensure gender mainstreaming in e-government. It would be best if a permanent government agency that oversees ICT programmes in the country was present to ensure the continuous and uninterrupted effort of promoting gender in e-government, among others.
Gender perspectives should be incorporated in Internet and ICT policy development by enhancing women’s representation in decision-making structures in e-government, and encouraging the direct participation of poor and marginalized women in policy development processes.
Gender concerns, especially women’s right to Internet access and digital literacy, should be addressed through e-government laws and policies, as well as in their implementation at the national and local level. Most importantly, strategic attention to growth and sustainability of gender responsive initiatives in e-government is required.
Gender sensitization training should be provided to e-government officials at all levels – those in leadership positions as well as intermediaries at the last mile in e-service delivery systems. The training should include enhancing capabilities to undertake gender sensitive messaging when publicizing e-service delivery arrangements.
Gender-disaggregated and open citizen data systems (keeping in mind Gender Equality Guidelines) should be set up in government agencies to enable gender-grounded policy and programme design. The availability of government data that is easily understood but does not oversimplify may improve citizen engagement on key political and social issues facilitated by social media.
Government should identify socio-economic groups that are at the risk of being left out from the benefits of connectivity, as well as locate underserved or areas not yet served, and design e-government programmes for with them in mind to ensure universal access. It is important to understand the patterns of use of ICT devices and the Internet to increase the relevance of e-government interventions.
It is necessary to provide adequate budget and strengthen concerted action at national and local levels to successfully implement digital literacy initiatives. ICTs in public school systems are an important strategy for building the digital literacy of the population. Policy development should recognize the interconnections between digital literacy, availability of affordable connectivity and infrastructure. Digital literacy trainings for women and girls should encourage them to pursue STEM careers. Further, the sustainability of these programs should be addressed, as they tend to be demanding, when it comes to financial and human resources.
Mobile-based services, especially information services critical to marginalized groups, are an important future frontier for e-government development. The country has 99% mobile coverage83 and in Metro Manila alone, 45% of mobile phone users use their phones to browse the Internet.84
Women’s access to justice should be ensured, not just offline but also online, not merely by focusing on protectionism and criminalization, but through concrete programmes to prevent VAW in cyberspace.85
Trading Economics retrieved November 2015 http://www.tradingeconomics.com/philippines/population- covered-by-mobile-cellular-network-percent-wb-data. See also GSMA Intelligence Analysis (December 2014) Country Overview: Philippines Growth through Innovation https://gsmaintelligence.com/research/?- file=141201-philippines.pdf&download
PhilStar Global (July 2, 2013) “More Filipinos use cellphones as ‘mobile computer’ study” retrieved 2015 http:// www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/07/02/961059/more-filipinos-use-cellphones-mobile-computers-study
Vichel Juguilon and Liza Garcia (2014) “Philippines Country Report” Presentation for NWEC Seminar for Gender Equality Officers and Women Leaders in the Asia Pacific Region; Retrieved 2015 http://www.nwec.jp/jp/ data/7090dd55d2fda2576782f9aca19e355f.pdf
