Development and Indigenous Women, delves into specific programs cited in the
State report which are affecting indigenous women particularly, but not limited to
Articles 4, 12 and 14 of the CEDAW.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This shadow report intends to provide additional information to the Committee on
the Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women relative to the combined
7th and 8th report of the state of the Philippines. It specifically focuses on
indigenous women and their particular experiences of violence being women
and as indigenous peoples.
The report highlights the intersectionalities of indigenous and gender identities in
the different contexts of aggression against the individual and collective rights of
indigenous women and reiterates the need for specific attention because of this.
We note with significance the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz’s recent report to the UN Human
Rights Commission (A/HRC/30/41) which states that : “When examining the
rights of indigenous women and girls, it is vital to consider the unique historical
experiences of indigenous communities. Many forms of violence and abuse
against indigenous women and girls have a strong intergenerational element.
Violations of the broad right to self-determination of indigenous peoples are
historically and currently endemic. Those have included gross and sustained
assaults on the cultural integrity of indigenous peoples; denigration and nonrecognition of customary laws and governance systems; failure to develop
frameworks that allow indigenous peoples appropriate levels of self-governance;
and practices that strip indigenous peoples of autonomy over land and natural
resources. Those patterns of violations are vividly exemplified by colonization,
but have also been perpetuated by post-colonial power structures and State
practices. Those violations of the right to self-determination have been highly
detrimental to the advancement of the rights of indigenous women and girls in a
number of ways.” 1
The development of this report is guided by the General Recommendation Nos.
12 and 19 on Violence Against Women, General Recommendation No. 33 on
Access to Justice and the Convention on the Elimination of All Form of
1
Report
of
the
UNSRIP
Victoria
Tauli
Corpuz
to
the
13th
Session
of
the
UNHRC,
6
August
2015.
A/HRC/30/41
4