Gender Equality in Southeast Asia: A Comparative Study of Indonesia and the Philippines
Abstract
This thesis is a comparative study of how three important factorssocial, political, and economic inclusionaffect gender equality and inequality in the Philippines and in Indonesia. The disparity between these two countries as published in the 2016 Global Gender Gap Report serves as the analytical basis for this comparison. On this scale, which assigns a number from 0 (gender inequality) to 1 (gender equality), the Philippines ranks in the top five percent of the 144 countries assessed for gender equality, with a score of 0.786 (7 of 144), whereas Indonesia ranks in the lower half with a score of 0.682 (88 of 144). The two countries share similarities on this issue: their respective womens movements began within a decade of one another, and the first female presidents of each country were seen as moral figures who could facilitate the transition to working democracy. Yet these countries also differ in terms of majority religion and population size. A major finding of this thesis is that the womens movements in the Philippines and in Indonesia were more productive in advancing the womens agenda than female leaders, although for different reasons. This thesis concludes by reflecting on main findings and providing policy recommendations and suggestions for future research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1046843
Entities
People
- Cassandra E. Hauser
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School