MALATE, Manila- The Listahanan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MIMAROPA has identified 507,549 poor women living in rural barangays regionwide.

Listahanan is a government mechanism to identify who and where the poor are nationwide. It the basis for beneficiary selection of government social protection programs for the poor.

This is in commemoration of the International Day of Rural Women on October 15 with the theme: ‘Challenges and opportunities in climate-resilient agriculture for gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls.’

Results of the DSWD Listahanan 2015 household assessment shows that 5,552 of poor rural women have a disability; 16,486 are considered as household heads, and 8,667 are identified pregnant during the assessment.

“With changing climate, women’s already unequal access to land, water and energy are further impacted. At the same time, existing gender inequalities and discriminations that constrain rural women’s decision-making power and participation in their households and their communities, are exacerbated by climate change and climate disasters”, said in a United Nation report.

According to the DSWD database, there are 91,890 poor rural women regionwide experienced displacement due to natural disasters, human-induced calamities, armed-conflict and rural development.

This database further reveals that about 204,458 poor rural women ages 15 years old and above have no occupation in MIMAROPA while there are 29,758 poor women work as laborers and 17,3825 women are farmers, forestry workers, and fisherfolks.

The DSWD is employing the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (Kalipi)- a federation of women’s organization committed to responding to the needs of organizing women from the grassroots level and genuinely promotes women’s development and empowerment by harnessing their strengths and developing their full potentials.

The Kalahi-CIDSS of the department is also empowering rural women through active community participation in the planning and implementing of sub-projects. ###