(ESCR). These particularly relate to their rights to Education, Health, Housing, Food, and Water—
which are the areas for monitoring for this activity. With almost half the said population is female,
gender-specific information on the economic, social, and cultural conditions and situation of
women with disabilities are crucial.
In the Philippines, a number of domestic laws and policies have been enacted to protect,
promote and fulfill the rights of persons with disabilities. Most notable of these is RA 7277 or the
Magna Carta for Persons with Disability of 1992. Formulated before the CRPD, the law already
provides equal rights to persons with disabilities in employment, education, health, social
services, telecommunications, accessibility, and civil and political rights. In 2012, the law was
amended to ensure equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in terms of employment by
mandating all government offices to reserve at least one percent (1%) of positions to persons
with disabilities, and encouraging private corporations to do the same. In 2016, the benefits and
privileges for persons with disabilities was expanded further to cover at least twenty percent (20%)
discount and exemption from the value-added tax in the purchase of medicines, medical and dental
services, transportation use of establishments, and burial and funeral services as well as provision of
scholarships grants and financial aid.
II. Objectives of the Monitoring
The primary objective of this monitoring is to provide insights on the human rights issues
and/or challenges with regard to the rights to housing, health, education, food and water of
women with disabilities.
The first level of the monitoring covers the mapping of existing national polices as and
government programs and initiatives that guarantee and promote ESCR of women with
disabilities.
The second level of analysis is the conduct of focus group discussions (FGDs) which aims
to render women with disabilities and their experiences visible. The FGDs aim to highlight
intersectional issues of gender and disability in relation to their economic, social and cultural
rights through the accounts of women with disabilities.
III. Methodology
Corresponding to the objectives of the monitoring, activities include:
•
Mapping of national policies and programs through desk-review and interviews.
This entails identifying how ESCR of women with disabilities are recognized in different domestic
laws.
•
Conducting 3 focus group discussions (FGDs) in Davao, Iloilo and Cavite which
include persons with range of disabilities:
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