CEDAW/C/PHL/CO/7-8/Add.1 17. The establishment of women and children protection units in hospitals/health offices has been included in the State’s health licensing standards. 18. The State supports and participates in on-going CSO-initiated consultations/ public discussions on the decriminalization of abortion. 19. However, it must also be stressed that advocates for the rights of persons with disabilities (PWD) object to legalizing abortion even in cases when the fetus is found to be seriously malformed as this goes against the principles of non -discrimination, respect for difference, and acceptance of PWD as part of humanity/human diversity, in keeping with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of PWD. Reinforcing the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), by strengthening its mandate (including on reproductive health), visibility, and its human, financial and technical resources 20. In 2016, the PCW was granted additional 21 positions in its organization with corresponding increase in its budget. 21. There are on-going discussions for the establishment of five regional PCW offices and to create permanent Gender and Develop ment Units in more government agencies. 22. The PCW is a member of the RPRH-National Implementing Team (NIT) composed of government agencies and CSOs that meets twice a month to ensure the effective operationalization of the RPRH Law down to the grassroots level. 23. The PCW is part of other inter-agency mechanisms supporting the RPRH law, such as the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children (IACVAWC), Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), and the Technical Working Group on Increasing the Age of Statutory Rape (TWG on IASR). 24. The PCW monitors the GAD budget allocation and expenditure of government agencies to ensure that the GAD budget of concerned agencies whose mandates pertain to health, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH), are effectively utilized to strengthen women’s access to SRH commodities and services. Broadening the Commission on Human Rights (CHR)’s mandate to allow it to receive complaints and provide remedies for violations of women’s rights 25. Unlike courts, the CHR does not provide legal remedies because it is not within its constitutional mandate to act as a quasi-judicial agency. The same would also run counter to their function as an independent body. 26. As Gender Ombud, the CHR conducted a National Inquiry on the RPRH Law Implementation in 2016 which involved fact-finding missions and public hearings in five cluster areas in the country, producing 30 recommendations for action by the three branches of the government and by local govern ment units (LGUs). Establishing effective monitoring and oversight mechanisms to ensure that reproductive health-related legislation and policies comply with the Convention and Strengthening coordination and reporting mechanisms 27. An “Executive Order 12 Monthly Reporting Matrix” is used by key stakeholders including government agencies, LGUs and CSOs concerned in monitoring and submitting accomplishment reports on the RPRH Law implementation. 28. The DOH confers the Purple Ribbon Award to LGUs that properly implement the RPRH Law. 4/9 18-19201