Philippine Alliance of Women With Disabilities with disabilities47. Eighty percent of women with disabilities in rural areas in Asia and the Pacific have no independent means of livelihood and are thus dependent on others for their economic survival.48 Information on recent developments 1. From the fact-finding activities of the Commission on Human Rights reported during the recent National Inquiry on Reproductive Health, it was concluded that rural women with disabilities face barriers in accessing adequate health care facilities, including information, counseling and services in family planning. 2. Sexual violence among Deaf women and girls numbering over a hundred cases throughout the rural areas of the country from 2006 -201249, continues up to the present time50, with a lack of access to counseling services. Recommendation for Rural Women: Following General Recommendations No. 33 and 34, eliminate barriers in the enjoyment of all human rights by all rural women and girls, specially women and girls with disabilities, including access to comprehensive sexuality and reproduction health services; and protect them in law and practice, from all forms of violence. On Law Information on recent developments Republic Act 8353 known as the Anti-Rape Law, specifically mentions women and girls with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities. The Philippine Commission on Women and National Council on Disabilities Affairs includes amendment of this law as part of their legislative agenda in the 16th Congress. However, both have not actively initiated or engaged women with disabilities in their proposed amendments. Recommendation for Law: Actively involve women with disabilities in the amendment of the Anti-Rape Law, ensuring equal recognition before the law, and respect and protection of all their rights. On Marriage and Family Life Information on recent developments 1. From 2008 to 2011, 34 out of 126 or 27% of cases filed by persons with disabilities which reached the Supreme Court include filing nullity of marriage based on “grave, medically permanent psychological incapacity” of female parties. Up to the present time, this routine and virtually institutionalized legal argument based on the Family Code of the Philippines, Article 36 (Executive Order No. 209) describes a person with psychological incapacity as unable to enter into a marital contract: Art. 36. A marriage contracted by any party who, at the time of the celebration, was psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations of marriage, shall likewise be void even if such incapacity becomes manifest only after its solemnization. (As amended by Executive Order 227) (1, 2) 47 International Disability Alliance submission to CEDAW Committee on rural women http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Women/A.67.227.pdf 49 Access to Justice. Case Monitoring by the Philippine Deaf Resource http://www.phildeafres.org/files/PDRC_Case_Monitoring_2006-2012.pdf 50 PDRC / Deaf Resources Philippines case notes. 48 Center (2006-2012). 11