Community Quaran6ne. All these differen6ated impacts of COVID-19 can leave huge protec6on gaps for
women and girls and persons of diverse SOGIESC.
In the Philippines, the 2017 Na6onal Demographic Health Survey reports that 1 out of 4 married women
in the Philippine have experienced violence, it also reports that only 1/3 of those who experience
violence seek help.4 The Commission’s Mapping of Gender Based-Violence Legal Referral Mechanisms5
last 2019 has documented the con6nuing gaps in accessing jus6ce in cases of gender-based violence,
the gaps include lack of informa6on and knowledge of the laws, and of protec6on and referral
mechanisms, accessibility of and availability of services specially for women with disabili6es, women in
geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) and other women facing mul6ple and
intersec6ng forms of discrimina6on.6 Other gaps included the difficulty of referrals for psychosocial and
shelter support, lack of support for women survivors’ livelihood and economic independence, as well
gaps pertaining to the insensi6vity of service providers. These ini6al reports were also echoed in the
Commission’s 2019 Na6onal Inquiry on the Reproduc6ve Health of Women with Disabili6es.7 The inquiry
highlighted physical, communica6on, and aitudinal barriers faced by women with disabili6es in
repor6ng and seeking jus6ce in cases of GBV.
The above cited data on GBV pertain to gaps and barriers during normal 6mes, in 6mes of a health crisis
like the COVID-19 pandemic, response to GBV is even more difficult. Incidence of GBV are expected to
increase as an effect of tensions within the household during quaran6ne, and the survival mode brought
about by the crisis is also expected to impact women, girls’ and persons with diverse SOGIESC’s repor6ng
of violence. It is for these reasons that the Commission, as Gender Ombud, is reaching out to your office.
Adop%on of gender-responsive and intersec%onal approach
Recognizing that women and girls are dispropor6onately affected during pandemics; Recognizing that 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; and recognizing further that
during Enhanced Community Quaran6ne, women and men’s experiences and needs will vary because of
their different physical, cultural, security, and sanitary needs, the Commission forward the following
recommenda6ons for the Honorable Secretary’s considera6on:
Specifically, the Commission recommends the adop6on of a policy to ensure a gender-responsive and
intersec6onal approach in the Local Government’s response to COVID-19, this includes a reminder for
LGUs to:
4
NDHS 2017
The GBV Mapping of Legal Referral Mechanisms funded by Go Just was undertaken in 15 of the Commissions’ 16
regional offices, through focus group discussions with the government agencies, women’s organiza6ons and
community women the Mapping has gathered data from 30 ci6es/municipali6es all over the country. The final
report is s6ll being consolidated by the CHR Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights Center.
5
These include: Indigenous Women, Elderly Women, Women with Disability, Rural Women, Urban Poor Women,
Women in context of armed conflict and other humanitarian condi6ons ;
6
The 2019 Na6onal Inquiry on the Reproduc6ve Health of Women with Disabili6es was conducted from April 109
to October 2019. It covered five areas: Region X, CAR, Cebu, CARAGA, NCR. Each area included 3 focus group
discussions with women with disabili6es (Women with Mobility Impairment, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Women,
and Women Visual Impairment) and a public hearing. Valida6on of the ini6al result was conduced November of
2019.
7