United Nations
Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women
CEDAW/C/PHL/Q/7-8
Distr.: General
27 November 2015
Original: English
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women
Sixty-fourth session
4-22 July 2016
Item 4 of the provisional agenda
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under
article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women
List of issues and questions in relation to the combined
seventh and eighth periodic reports of the Philippines
Constitutional, legislative and institutional framework
1.
The Committee notes from the report of the State party that the Magna Carta
of Women adopted in 2009 defines discrimination against women
(CEDAW/C/PHL/7-8, paras. 12 and 20 (a)). 1 Please provide further information as
to whether that definition includes direct and indirect discrimination in the public
and private sectors, in line with article 1 of the Convention. It is also indicated that
the State party has formulated the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda and made
progress in legislative advocacy for the adoption or repeal of laws to eliminate
discrimination against women (para. 19). Please clarify the status and content of the
amendments to the Family Code, the Anti-Rape Law (including the definition of
rape and whether it includes marital rape), the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act and the
Magna Carta of Workers in the Informal Economy. Please also explain in more
detail the various amendments to the revised Penal Code pertaining to gender
equality, including the bills on prostitution and sexual infidelity and the amendment
to article 351 on early marriage, and indicate the status of the draft Philippine
Criminal Code and how it differs from the revised Penal Code in those areas. Please
also provide information on how the State party is enhancing the awareness and
knowledge of all branches of government, members of the judi ciary and
parliamentarians about gender equality, the Convention and relevant international
human rights standards.
__________________
Note: The present document is being issued in English, French and Spanish only.
1
Unless otherwise indicated, paragraph numbers refer to the combined seventh and eighth periodic
reports of the Philippines.
15-20931 (E)
*1520931*
211215