To assess its gender mainstreaming status and prepare the 2024 Gender and Development (GAD) Plan and Budget, the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) through its GAD Focal Point System Technical Working Group (GFPS TWG) convened on 10 October 2023 in Quezon City.

The GFPS TWG revisited the bureau’s gender mainstreaming efforts using the enhanced Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework (GMEF) tool prescribed by the Philippine Commission on Women in 2016 to be used periodically, ideally once every two years. GMEF is a self-assessment tool used by government agencies to understand the processes and context of gender mainstreaming within the organization and to help identify the next steps to be done as they go through the process.

Through this assessment, the GFPS TWG saw the need to focus on activities for the next medium term related to Level 2: Installation of Strategic Mechanisms classification on the GAD mainstreaming efforts of the organization.

In line with this, among the activities proposed for next year in celebration of the National Women’s Month is the seminar series on gender-sensitive language and understanding sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, as well as success stories of gender-responsive research for development projects. (### Rena S. Hermoso)