This 1st semester Gender Ombud Report of the Commission on Human Rights sets out the human rights impact of the continuing crisis brought about by the pandemic to women, girls, and persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity , expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). It fulfills the mandate of the Commission as Gender and Development Ombud and as a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) - to promote women’s and girls human rights and advocate for gender equality, and to monitor governments’ compliance of its treaty obligations despite, and more so, with the continuing crisis and global emergency brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. This report at the onset highlights key human rights themes for the first six months, building on the Commission’s 2020 Gender Ombud Report. It then proceeds to report on the other specific rights and provisions under the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710). This report incorporates the results of the Commission’s sectoral and regular human rights monitoring undertaken by its Central and Regional Offices. 4 Disproportionate impact of the continuing emergency on women, girls and marginalized groups In the Commission’s 2020 report, the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women, girls and other marginalized sectors was emphasized. It was stressed that the pandemic has exacerbated preexisting inequalities and stigma, and made the impact of these inequalities life threatening and dangerous. This has not changed in 2021. The threat posed by the more contagious and deadly delta variant, the gaps in social protection and the difficulty and exorbitant cost of accessing health care continue to loom over hopes for a new normal. Economic impact - worsening hunger, poverty The Philippines has had one of the world’s longest lockdowns. By the first quarter of 2021, the country was in its 3rd hard lockdown since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. The series of lockdowns has severely impacted the economy, resulting in loss of income and employment, increasing poverty and food insecurity. A 2021 Social Weather Station (SWS) survey provides a snapshot of the continuing devastation brought about by the pandemic, even well into 2021. Of the women surveyed the last quarter of 2020, 63.02% reported that their quality of life worsened, 36.4% reported being in the poverty line, while 47.58% reported being poor. 5 Unemployment in April of 2021, while lower compared to the numbers in 2020, still remained substantially higher than that of 2019. More specifically, 2021 Philippine Statistics Authority report shows that in April of 2021, unemployment is at 8.7%, this is much lower than in April 2020 during the height of 4 As of submission, Regional Reports were from Regions 1, X, CARAGA.. CHR E-lawyering data was provided by CHR-Protection Office, External Legal Services. 5 SWS.Fourth Quarter of 2020 Social Weather Survey. https://www.sws.org.ph/downloads/media_release/pr20201214%20%20SWR%202020-IV%20Self-Rated%20Poverty%20and%20Self-Rated%20Food%20Poverty%20(media%20release).pdf (accessed last 28 August 2021) 2