CEDAW/C/PHL/CO/7-8
B.
Positive aspects
4.
The Committee welcomes the progress achieved since its consideration in
2006 of the State party’s combined fifth and sixth periodic reports
(CEDAW/C/PHI/5-6) in undertaking legislative reforms, in particular the adoption
of the following legislation:
(a) Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 (Republic Act
No. 10364), in 2013;
(b)
Domestic Workers Act (Republic Act No. 10361), in 2013;
(c) Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (Republic Act
No. 10354), in 2012;
(d)
Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act No. 9710), in 2009.
5.
The Committee welcomes the State party’s efforts to improve its institutional
and policy framework aimed at accelerating the elimination of discrimination
against women and promoting gender equality, including the following:
(a) Adoption of the women’s empowerment, development and gender
equality plan, covering the period 2013-2016;
(b) Adoption of the national action plan on women and peace and security,
covering the period 2010-2016, aimed at the implementation of Security Council
resolutions 1325 (2000) and 1820 (2008);
(c) Establishment of the Philippine Commission on Women with a mandate
to advance the women’s priority legislative agenda and monitor the implementation
of the women’s empowerment, development and gender equality p lan;
(d)
Designation of the Commission on Human Rights as the Gender Ombud.
6.
The Committee welcomes the fact that, in the period since the consideration of
the previous report, the State party has ratified the Domestic Workers Convention,
2011 (No. 189), of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
C.
Principal areas of concern and recommendations
Congress
7.
The Committee stresses the crucial role of the legislative power in
ensuring the full implementation of the Convention (see the statement by the
Committee on its relationship with parliamentarians, adopted at the forty -fifth
session, in 2010). It invites Congress, in line with its mandate, to take the
necessary steps regarding the implementation of the present concluding
observations between now and the next reporting period under the Convention.
General context
8.
The Committee notes with appreciation that the State party has made
considerable progress towards achieving gender equality, reflected in its seventh place ranking in the Global Gender Gap Index in 2015, and towards achieving
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