Gender Smart Incubator Training: Breaking the Bias
A significant part of my fellowship was spent on the Gender Smart Incubation Training and Support program run by Villgro Philippines, in collaboration with ygap and Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), to develop the capacities of intermediaries in the Philippine ecosystem in adopting a gender lens approach, ultimately advancing gender equality in their work.
From November 2021 to February 2022, I got to interact with five different incubators that work in diverse sectors including rural, indigenous people, technology, innovation, and women. During the months we worked on the program, the incubators attended and participated in learning sessions in developing a community of practice, and they were coached through one-on-one sessions in building their personalized gender-smart strategy.
Topics covered in the program’s learning sessions were gender basics, the local competitive landscape of women MSMEs, applications of gender lens within the incubator, and gender lens investing. In the diagnostic panels and coaching one-on-ones per incubator, we got to learn more about existing practices of incubators, incorporating small changes within their processes (selection, judging, etc), and discover the struggles they face in creating an inclusive program (funding, continuity, etc).
As someone new to the ecosystem, the program opened my eyes to the disadvantages faced by fellow women, as well as how unconscious bias against women has become normal. It is a small but important first step to recognize that systems need to change, as every action taken has a direct and indirect effect on women striving to make an impact in the world.
After seeing the presentations from DOST-PCIEERD, MC-HSSIC, MSU-IIT CIT, TIP NITRO, and UP Mindanao UPGRADE, I look forward to future programs like the Gender Smart Incubation Training Program that enables incubators to embody a gender lens in their programs and increase diversity within start-ups. I can say that we are off to a strong start in creating a more accessible and inclusive ecosystem in the country.
About the Author: Regina Po was a Research Fellow with Villgro Philippines and was an integral part of our gender initiatives and learning programs. Regina can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-po/
The Villgro Philippines Impact Fellows Program is a unique initiative to identify, nurture, and develop young talent. Our aim is to engage the young fellows in all facets of our operations and initiatives giving them a 360-degree exposure to the workings of a gender-smart incubator. As an equal opportunity employer, Villgro Philippines values diversity and inclusivity and we encourage young adults from all backgrounds and orientations to join the team. If you are a student looking for an opportunity to do something that will have an impact on balancing the scales of inequity, then reach out to us at hello@villgrophilippines.org
