March 11, 2010
A Filipina’s guide to getting involved
Have you ever been interested in join a women’s group or organization, but didn’t know how to even go about choosing the right one? Here are some quick questions you should ask yourself before deciding which women’s organization to involve yourself in.
What is my definition of feminism?
In an in interview, Gloria Steinem, the trailblazing godmother of feminism, gave her own definition of feminism saying, “I would still go along with the dictionary definition of someone, which can be a woman or a man, who believes in the full social, economic, political equality of women and men.”
She went on to contextualize this definition by saying that “feminism is about the ability to choose what’s right at each time of our lives.”
Apart from Steinem’s definition, when choosing a women’s group to join or support, you may want to look for groups that are sincere about another aspect of feminism—equalizing the power relations between men and women.
Certain feminists argue that in the local context, being a women’s rights advocate necessitates challenging the dogma of the Church—some of which have been regarded as anti-women. Be sure to look for a group that shares your beliefs and whose ideology you believe in.
What particular women’s cause do you want to support?
The different women’s groups offer varied services ranging from legal assistance, reproductive health information/consultation/services, counseling of women who have experienced violence like physical abuse or trafficking, economic development and media advocacy.
Ask yourself what cause you are most interested in supporting. Check the website of the National Commission on Women, which is formerly the National Commission on the Role of Filipina Women, for a list of women’s organizations to choose from. The site contains a directory of various women’s organizations, listing their contact information, contact person and basic objectives.
For detailed information about a particular organization, you can also request for a copy of the group’s brochures.
Who are the people behind the organization?
Check who the members of the board of directors or advisory board are. Validate the professional and educational background of the key officials. Gauge the achievements of key leaders and how long they’ve been active in the women’s movement. This information will help you evaluate the competency and knowledge of the people driving the organization and of the organization itself.
What kind of projects has the group been involved in?
Check the projects that the group has done and how recent the projects were. If you have the opportunity to get some feedback on projects both from implementing partners or the beneficiaries themselves, the better.
Check who their implementing or funding partners are. This should give you an idea on the organization’s sustainability.
How can I be of service to these organizations?
Once you have all the above information, ask yourself what is it you want to do exactly? Volunteer? Do research? Donate?
Do your own honest assessment of your skills set to see how you can best of value to the organization.
Other ways you can help:
Immerse yourself. One of the best ways to understand the concrete issues that face women is an immersion with a community. Talk to the women in these communities and ask them what their concerns are, understand—snot just read about—swhat their everyday lives are really like.
Share your knowledge with other Filipinos in the international community. Reach out to other women or other Filipinas who are in different parts of the world who may want to help. Share your experiences with Fil-American forums, for example.
You can also give them concrete ideas on how to help or encourage them to donate to the organization. This type of networking also enables the sharing of “best practices” information from similar organizations which you can replicate here at home.
Elect women leaders. Make your voice heard and your vote count. It is important to vote for legislators who have a clear and sustainable platform for the advancement of women’s issues and protection of women’s rights. Check out the past bills that they have signed or authored and what programs they have lent their support to. Log on to the websites of the House of Representatives or the Senate for more information on bills and resolutions.
Ana Santos is a freelance journalist and columnist. She is a staunch women's rights activist and writes about gender issues and relationships in her weekly newspaper column as well as other magazines. She has also written about women and children of armed conflict in Mindanao for the foreign news wires. Ana's work may be viewed on www.anasantoswrites.com.
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