Last Friday, PVP hosted an engaging training session focused on Gender Sensitivity in the Workplace, tailored for CF Sharp Crew Management. The distinguished speakers for this event were none other than our President and Director of Research, Dr. Marshall Valencia, and our esteemed guest speaker, Mr. Rye Manuzon, who is currently the Executive Director of PANTAY, and a Resident Programs Consultant at the Institute of Politics and Governance, Inc. We invited him to lead the discussion on Safe Spaces Act and Sexual Harassment.
As is his custom, Dr. Marshall began by presenting compelling statistics that emphasized the necessity of such training and how it can significantly impact the bottom line of businesses. He went on to highlight that gender sensitivity training primarily revolves around the process of unlearning.
What truly made the training experience better were the engaging activities thoughtfully prepared by Dr. Marshall. These activities revealed how our cognitive processes can sometimes lead to biases in our perceptions of different genders, and how we can become perplexed or even unfairly judgmental when our expectations do not align with these assigned roles.
Then the discussion revolved around the fundamental concepts of sex and gender, the effects of too much pressure to stick to gender roles, and how gender stereotypes can significantly impact our problem-solving abilities, our judgment, reactions, and ultimately, our behavior. This portion of the discussion proved to be not only informative but surprisingly also enjoyable, as Dr. Marshall infused it with humor through a series of light-hearted jokes about the differences between men and women.
Then the discussion delved into sex role orientation and the critical topic of sexism, a subject of prime importance as it underlined the very essence of "unlearning." During this segment, participants were introduced to the distinction between hostile and benevolent sexism, shedding light on how these attitudes can hinder our ability to perceive the totality of another person.
As the morning session drew to a close, Dr. Marshall left the participants with a powerful message: "Gender sensitivity is not solely about understanding the other sex; it is also about being sensitive to ourselves and recognizing how our socialization has unwittingly shaped us in negative ways."
The afternoon session centered on Mr. Rye's presentation on RA 11313, also known as the Bawal Bastos Act of 2018 with a specific focus on how to ensure Safe Public Spaces and Workplaces. Mr. Rye explained the key provisions of this law, the penalties for non-compliance, and the notable improvements it introduced compared to the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law of 1995. Moreover, he outlined the responsibilities of employers. Mr. Rye, ahead of the training, reviewed CF Sharp's policies and was able to offer constructive feedback and suggestions on areas for improvement. He ended the discussion by highlighting the importance of the "4 Rs" in combating gender-based sexual harassment: Realize, Respond, Report, and Reform.
Following this, a bonus brief discussion on fostering an inclusive workplace and an introduction to diversity and inclusion took place, highlighting the significance of creating environments where everyone feels valued and included.
The training came to a close with closing remarks from CF Sharp's HR representative, and Dr. Marshall inviting each participant to reflect on what changes they intended to implement in their behavior and practices, prompting them to consider what they would stop and start following this training.
Thank you to all the CF Sharp participants for making the training session livelier with your enthusiastic participation!
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