4 April 2020
Hon. EDUARDO M. AÑO
Secretary
Department of Interior and Local Government
Dear Secretary Año,
Gree6ngs from the Commission on Human Rights during this 6me of crisis!
During the Enhanced Community Quaran6ne period, the Commission on Human Rights is conduc6ng
con6nuous monitoring of human rights situa6ons, specially of vulnerable sectors. This is part of the
Commission’s mandate of promo6ng and advancing the rights of the marginalized, monitoring State
compliance with its human rights obliga6ons, providing advisories and recommenda6ons, and of
inves6ga6ng alleged human rights viola6ons.
One of the key areas that the Commission is par6cularly concerned during this period is ensuring that
responses recognize differen6al impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to women and girls and to persons of
diverse Sexual Orienta6on, Gender Iden6ty and Expression (SOGIESC), including heightened risks of
gender-based violence.
Guidance notes from the United Na6ons Popula6ons Fund on a gendered response to COVID-19
emphasize that women and girls are dispropor6onately affected by epidemics. In par6cular, women and
girls who face mul6ple forms of inequali6es due to disability, sexual orienta6on, gender iden6ty, age and
ethnic minority may be even more vulnerable.1 Health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic compounds
exis6ng gender inequali6es, it is expected to dispropor6onately increase women and girls’ unpaid care
work in the household and in taking care of the sick, and it also increases risks of gender-based violence
and sexual exploita6on and abuse.2 In terms of support, women and girls’ needs are oWen leW behind in
the response, menstrual and hygiene kits are oWen forgoYen, provisions for family planning and other
reproduc6ve health commodi6es and services are not provided for, and special needs of pregnant and
lacta6ng women may not be priori6es.3 Access to relief and support services for persons with diverse
SOGIESC may be affected by s6gma and prejudice against them and LGBTQI+ families may run the risk of
not obtaining safety nets accorded to families in general. They can also run the risk of GBV, being
confined in possibly hos6le spaces in their own families and communi6es during the Enhanced
1
UNFPA Asia Pacific Program. Guidance Note on COVID-19
2
UNFPA Asia Pacific Program. Guidance Note on COVID-19
3
UNFPA Asia Pacific Program. Guidance Note on COVID-19