SOCIAL REALITIES AFFECTING RURAL WOMEN IN THE PHILIPPINES:
Issues on Business and Human Rights, Reproductive and Care Work
and Disaster and Crisis Situations
INTRODUCTION
The Commission on Human Rights works to protect the rights of every Filipino, especially the
most marginalized. Under the Magna Carta of Women, the Commission’s tasks likewise include
advocating for the protection and promotion of women’s human rights (CHR Gender Ombud
Guidelines). This report focuses on the issues affecting one of the most disadvantaged
members of the society – rural women.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) describes the
conditions of rural women in these terms: “Globally, and with few exceptions, on every gender
and development indicator for which data are available, rural women fare worse than rural
men and urban women and men, and rural women disproportionately experience poverty and
exclusion. They face systemic discrimination in accessing land and natural resources. They carry
most of the unpaid work burden due to stereotyped gender roles, intra-household inequality,
and lack of infrastructure and services, including with respect to food production and care
work. Even when formally employed, they are more often engaged in work that is insecure,
hazardous, poorly paid and not covered by social protection. They are less likely to be educated
and are at higher risk of being trafficked and forced into labour, as well as into child and/or
forced marriage and other harmful practices. They are more likely to become ill, suffer from
malnutrition or die from preventable causes, and are particularly disadvantaged with respect to
access to health care.” (CEDAW/C/GC/34).
Globalization and development aggression adds greater challenges to rural women who mostly
depend on nature and the environment for their daily economic activities and care work. The
arrival of international and local businesses in the countryside, particularly large-scale mining
corporations, has caused negative impacts on the environment that rural women are
accustomed to. Pollution and destruction of natural resources have reduced their access to
food and potable water and have affected the health of the rural community in general. Some
communities have been displaced, including indigenous peoples. Sources of livelihood were
lost, which aggravated the poverty situation in rural areas. Unfortunately, extreme poverty has
also pushed some rural women into prostitution.
Care work of rural women has been negatively affected by development aggression as well. For
instance, due to contaminated water from the spring or rivers in their vicinity, rural women
now have to travel farther to collect water for their families from another area or community.
With the numerous responsibilities in caring for the family that are prescribed to rural women,
this consequence is an added burden to them.
The burden and vulnerabilities of rural women are further increased in times of disasters and
crisis situations. Aside from the damages to the environment surrounding them, the safety and
welfare of their families, their shelter, household properties, crops and livestock become at risk
and any loss incurred will worsen their condition. The effects of natural calamities can also be
aggravated by changes brought about by development aggression, such as deforestation.
Based on these premises, and to be able to help protect the rights of rural women in the
country, the Commission on Human Rights finds it imperative to look further and determine the
situation of rural women in the areas of: 1) Business and Human Rights, 2) Reproductive and
Care work, and 3) Disaster and Crisis Situations. To find out the current situation and issues of
the rural women in these topics, the Commission organized a series of workshops/forums that
were attended by women leaders from different parts of the country. The concerns that the
rural women participants have voiced out in the said activities are presented in this report.
1