9.
“Childrenrefers to those who are below eighteen (18) years of age or over but are
unableto fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect,
cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or
condition;
10. “Senior Citizens"refers to those sixty (60) years of age and above;
11. “Personswith Disabilities” refers to those whoaresuffering from restriction ordifferent
abilities, as a result of a mental, physical, or sensory impairmentto perform anactivity
in the manneror within the range considered normal for a human being; and
12. “Solo Parents" refers to those whofall under the category of a solo parent defined
under republic act No. 8972, otherwise known as the “Solo Parents Welfare Act of
2000".
(e) “Substantive Equality” refers to the full and equal enjoyment of rights and freedoms
contemplated under this Act. It encompasses de jure and de facto equality and also
equality in outcomes.
(f) “Gender Equality” refers to the principle asserting the equality of men and women and
their right to enjoy equal conditions realizing their full human potentials to contribute to
and benefit from the results of development, and with the State recognizing thatall human
beings are free and equalin dignity and rights.
(g) “Gender Equity" refers to the policies, instruments, programs, services, and actions
that address the disadvantaged position of women in society by providing preferential
treatmentandaffirmative action. Such temporary special measuresaimed at accelerating
de facto equality between men and womenshall not be considered discriminatory but shall
in no way entail as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards.
These measuresshall be discontinued whenthe objectives of equality of opportunity and
treatment have beenachieved.
(h) “Gender and Development (GAD)" refers to the development perspective and processthat
are participatory and empowering, equitable, sustainable, free from violence, respectful
of humanrights, supportive of self-determination and actualization of human potentials.
It seeks to achieve gender equality as a fundamental value that should bereflected in
development choices; seeks to transform society's social, economic, and political
structures and questions theyvalidity of the genderroles they ascribed to women and men;
contends that womenare active agents of development and notjust passive recipients of
developmentassistance; and stresses the need of womento organize themselves and
participate in political processes to strengthentheir legal rights.
(i) “Gender Mainstreaming" refers to the strategy for making women's as well as men's
concerns and experiencesanintegral dimensionof the design, implementation, monitoring,
and evaluation of policies and programsinall political, economic, and societal spheres so
that women and menbenefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated. It is the process of
assessing the implications for women and menofanyplannedaction,includinglegislation,
policies, or programsinall areas andatall levels.
(j) “Temporary Special Measures"refersto variety oflegislative, executive, administrative, and
regulatory instruments,policies, and practices aimedat acceleratingthis de facto equality
of womenin specific areas. These measures shall not be considered discriminatory but
shall in no wayentail as a consequencethe maintenanceof unequal or separate standards.
Theyshall be discontinued whentheir objectives have been achieved.
(k) “Violence Against Women"refers to any act of gender-based violence thatresultsin, or is
likely to resultin, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women,including
28