Different types of violence articulated in this law are: physical violence, sexual violence (which includes rape, sexual harassment, acts of lasciviousness, prostituting women and children, and acts forcing victims to engage in a sexual activity), psychological violence and economic abuse. Section 35 states the rights of women and children who become victims of violence. In addition to their rights under existing laws, they shall have the following rights: ● “to be treated with respect and dignity; ● to avail of legal assistance from the Philippine Attorney’s Office (PAO) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or any public legal assistance office; ● To be entitled to support services from the DSWD and LGUs; ● To be entitled to all legal remedies and support as provided for under the Family Code; and ● To be informed of their rights and the services available to them including their right to apply for a protection order.” RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION OF RURAL WOMEN In line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the “​Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework​” is used as the basis for the recommendations in this report. Furthermore, it integrates the inputs given by the participants at the workshop/forum on how their issues on Business and Human Rights can be addressed to improve their situation. The following are the recommendations: 1. Enforce laws and policies that protect the rights of rural women. The rural women representatives belonging to the IP group asked that the conflict between the IPRA law and the Mining law be resolved. They shared at the workshop that the IP communities count on the IPRA law to protect and preserve their ancestral land, but the corporations also cite the Mining law to allow them to use the land for their operations. They called for the full implementation of the IPRA law to protect their ancestral lands and prevent destruction of their sacred places. In line with this, they voiced out that mining permits should not be issued, especially in areas where indigenous peoples will be displaced. The participants also called for the implementation of guidelines on the selection of the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) so that they have a suitable representative who will champion their cause. In general, the government should protect agricultural lands and aquatic resources to ensure that adequate resources are enjoyed by small farmers and fisherfolks. Removing their access to such resources puts economic strain on them and pushes them to greater impoverishment. It must also be ensured that rural women have equal opportunity as men to own lands. Laws and policies that protect women’s rights to own land such as the Magna Carta of Women, the CARPER law and CEDAW, should be upheld. 2. Strengthen rural women’s economic opportunities. Rural women farmers usually grow organic products. As there is much greater patronage of commercial products, the government can help them through the promotion and mainstreaming of organic products to boost and increase their market and sales. 12