Love Begins with Equality: UDM Empowers 1,599 Students to Build Gender-Responsive Families

Universidad de Manila advances gender awareness, shared responsibilities, and respectful relationships through its Family Day 2025 initiative.

MANILA, Philippines — Strong families are built not only on love but also on equality, mutual respect, and shared responsibility. Recognizing the vital role of families in shaping a more inclusive and gender-responsive society, the Universidad de Manila (UDM) brought meaningful conversations about gender equality directly into classrooms through its Family Day Room-to-Room Discussion, held from September 22 to 29, 2025.

Carrying the theme “Gender-Responsive Families: Building Quality, Love, and Respect at Home,” the initiative engaged 1,599 students from different academic programs and year levels, reinforcing the university’s commitment to gender sensitivity, inclusive education, and the promotion of healthy family relationships.

The activity was spearheaded by UDM’s Gender and Development (GAD) Unit, in collaboration with the Philippine Nursing Student Association (PNSA) and the Nursing Student Council.

Bringing Gender Equality Conversations into Classrooms

Unlike conventional university-wide seminars, the Family Day initiative adopted a room-to-room approach, allowing gender-awareness discussions to reach students within their respective learning environments.

Each session featured a 20-minute discussion designed to encourage reflection on gender roles, family relationships, and the importance of shared responsibilities at home.

A central component of the activity was the screening of the United Nations video “The Impossible Dream,” which illustrates how traditional gender expectations and unequal household responsibilities can affect family relationships and opportunities.

Through the video, students were encouraged to reflect on the importance of fairness, cooperation, and mutual respect among family members.

The activity emphasized that gender equality begins with everyday practices, including how responsibilities are distributed, how decisions are made, and how individuals treat one another within the family.

The initiative’s participation of 1,599 students reflects the broad reach of UDM’s gender-sensitivity efforts across its academic community.

Of the total participants, 938 were female and 661 were male, demonstrating the inclusion of students of different genders in discussions on equality, respect, and family responsibility.

The activity underscored the importance of involving all members of society in promoting gender-responsive attitudes and practices.

By engaging both male and female students, UDM reinforced the understanding that achieving gender equality requires shared commitment, open communication, and collective responsibility.

Strengthening Gender-Responsive Values Through Faculty Engagement

The educational discussions were facilitated by faculty members from different academic disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of gender and development education.

Prof. Angelita Dela Cruz from the College of Arts and Sciences Psychology Department, together with Prof. Romina O. Berganio and Prof. Ma. Lourdes N. Fernandez from the College of Health Sciences, facilitated face-to-face group discussions following the video screening.

Meanwhile, Prof. Biglang Awa handled the online student sessions, extending participation beyond physical classroom settings.

Through these discussions, students were encouraged to examine gender expectations, appreciate shared household responsibilities, and recognize the importance of nurturing respectful family relationships.

The involvement of faculty members from psychology and health sciences also demonstrated how gender awareness can be integrated into different fields of learning.

Building Stronger Families Through Equality and Respect

At the heart of the initiative was a simple but powerful message: gender equality begins at home.

Families play a fundamental role in shaping attitudes, behaviors, and expectations about gender roles.

When household responsibilities are shared fairly, when individual contributions are valued, and when relationships are grounded in mutual respect, families can become environments that nurture equality and personal development.

The Family Day discussions highlighted the importance of challenging restrictive gender stereotypes and encouraging relationships characterized by cooperation, understanding, and respect.

For students, these lessons extend beyond family life. They also contribute to developing interpersonal values that can influence future relationships, professional interactions, and community participation.

Advancing SDG 5: Gender Equality

The Family Day initiative directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality), particularly its broader commitment to eliminating discrimination and promoting equal opportunities and responsibilities.

The activity is especially relevant to SDG Target 5.4, which recognizes the importance of unpaid care and domestic work and promotes shared responsibility within households and families.

It also contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by integrating gender-awareness learning into student development activities.

Through this initiative, UDM demonstrated how higher education institutions can contribute to sustainable development by encouraging critical reflection on social norms and promoting inclusive values.

Sustaining a Culture of Equality and Respect

UDM’s Family Day 2025 initiative reinforces the university’s commitment to fostering an academic environment that values dignity, fairness, and respect.

By bringing gender-responsive education directly into classrooms, the university provided students with opportunities to reflect on the role they can play in creating more equitable family relationships.

The initiative also highlighted the importance of collaboration among university offices, student organizations, and faculty members in advancing gender-awareness education.

As UDM continues to strengthen its Gender and Development initiatives, Family Day serves as a reminder that meaningful social transformation begins with everyday actions.

At Universidad de Manila, equality begins with understanding, respect begins with empathy, and stronger families begin when love and responsibility are shared by all.