As delivered
The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, designated as Gender
Ombud under the Magna Carta of Women, issued guidelines in March of this year
that defined its monitoring and evaluation procedures. The expanded guidelines
also increased coverage to include not just women, but also persons with diverse
sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.
Madam Chair, Distinguished Members of the Committee,
The Magna Carta of Women has also been made an anchor in the enactment
of other pertinent laws that bear on women’s rights.
The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law was enacted in
December 2012. The law requires that reproductive health care services be provided
to all citizens, prioritizing women, the poor, the marginalized and those in vulnerable
or crisis situation.
The law ensures the provision of services through improvement of health
facilities, capacity building and deployment of human resources, and provision of
adequate supplies to facilitate access of rural women, indigenous women, Muslim
women and women with disabilities particularly from geographically isolated and
disadvantaged areas.
The passage of the Domestic Workers’ Law, or the so-called Kasambahay
Law, and the repeal of night-work prohibition for women have provided better work
opportunities and social protection for our women workers. Likewise, as part of our
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