state to ensure that all forms of gender-basedviolence againstwomen in all spheres are criminalized and victims/survivors of such violence are protected and provided with effective remedies including access to justice. Taking into consideration the intent of the authors of House Bill nos. SBZI and 5956, the Commission respectfully recommends the consolidation of both bills using the latter as reference bill. We respectfully provide the rlh Congress of the House of Representatives Committee on Women and Gender Equality, the comments and recommendations on some of the specific provisions of the subject measures, for the Committee's consideratio,,,: The Committee must adopt a definition of "Gender" comprehensive to include all persons of different sex including the members of the LGBTQ and persons who identifies themselves based on their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression which definition shall be use all throughout the proposed legislation (SOGIE). 1 The bill defines what Gender-based street, public spaces, and online harassment is and when we speak of "gender" it shall not be exclusive only to male and female but should be extended to the members of the LGBTQ Community and SOGIE. For it to fully serve its purpose of providing reparations to everyone who are victims of these specific kinds of harassments, the definition cf "gender" shall be inclusive, wideranging, and all-encompassing. According to the World Health Organization, "gender" refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men, such as norms, roles, and relationships of and between groups of women and men8. It also often refers to cultural and social differences and sometimes encompasses a broader range of identities than the binary of male and females. Thus, the Commission offers the definition of "gender" as; Sec. 3. Definitton. - xn a. Gender - refers to the state'rl being male andfemale tuhich shall include the members of the LGBTQ and those who identtftes themselues based on their sexuql orientqtton qnd gender identtty and expression (SOGIE). z. 8 The spirit of the proposed legislation is primarily to protect the victims of harassment and to provide reparation for the same. On the other hand, the State as theparens patrioe acts as a legal protector of its citizens who are incapable of protecting themselves by reason of minority, mental or psychological incapacity, and the like. By giving the authorities mandate to initiate legal proceedings against the perpetrator of the harassment, these persons will be given sufficient redress to the wrong committed against them. http://www.who.int/gender-equity-rights/understanding/gender-definition/en/ s https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/gender w 3