Laws about Gender Inequality in the Philippines

Despite the Philippines` relatively advanced position on gender equality, gender-based violence against women, particularly domestic violence, remains a pervasive problem. Pregnant women who want to have an abortion usually have to seek them secretly. Some women have even deliberately behaved in such a way that they cause a miscarriage. Women who received appropriate treatment for their health complications following an abortion procedure often felt stigmatized by those who treated them. [33] Article 2: Customs duties by country – Countries must eliminate discriminatory laws, policies and practices within the national legal framework. Despite new laws and efforts by the Philippine Commission on Women to monitor their implementation, persistent stereotypes hamper the impact of gender-sensitive reforms. According to Leysa, the contribution of rural women to national food production, for example in the fisheries sector, is still largely underestimated and uncompensated. Women`s work in this sector tends to be undervalued as they are given less prestigious tasks such as preparing fishing gear and fishing veins. She points out that this is largely due to deep-rooted gender stereotypes that “no political document can change overnight.” According to Legada, about “13.6 million Filipinos live in rural coastal communities.” In addition to typhoons and tsunamis, the Philippines is at high risk of sea level rise, floods and storms that will directly affect rural communities. In this context, the vulnerability of rural Filipino women to climate change is linked to their livelihoods, as they depend on natural resources. Contrary to what we can see, climate change is far from being a neutral phenomenon.

Women, and especially women living in rural areas, are more vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. Indeed, climate change tends to exacerbate gender inequalities in access to resources and opportunities. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was the first human rights instrument to highlight women in rural areas. Article 14 deals with rural women and gives them the right to participate in development planning at all levels. This includes the right to participate in the search for solutions to climate change, especially as women in rural areas are disproportionately affected by climate change. All rights set forth in the Philippine Constitution and rights recognized by international treaties duly signed and ratified by the Philippines, in accordance with Philippine laws, are women`s rights under the Magna Carta of Women. These rights are exercised without discrimination, as the law prohibits discrimination against women, whether by public and private institutions or by individuals. Many important laws have been passed that deal directly with this problem. These include the Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (Republic Act (RA) 9262), the Anti-Rape Act (Republic Act No. 8353), the Rape Victims Assistance and Protection Act (Republic Act No. 8505), the Sexual Harassment Act (Republic Act No.

7877), the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (RA 9208) and many others. [30] [31] Despite these initiatives, there is growing recognition that the mismatch between laws and their impact is due to weak or ineffective implementation. The Philippines has one of the lowest gender disparities in the world. In the 2017 Global Gender Gap Index, the Philippines ranks 10th out of 145 countries for gender equality. [2] The Philippines ranks higher than any other Asia-Pacific country except New Zealand. [3] These roles range from the traditional position of the mother, caring for children and the household, to positions in the political arena. Participation rates in higher education in the Philippines are among the highest in the world. The Honourable Patricia B. Licuanan mentioned women`s high academic achievements in her speech at the United Nations in 2011, but acknowledged that they are underrepresented in some professional fields.

[16] In fields such as engineering, technology, religion, law, business and agriculture, graduates remain predominantly male. It was hoped that this problem could be addressed by changing school curricula, organizing educational courses focusing on eliminating gender stereotypes and raising public awareness of gender issues. [17] The Philippines has been at the forefront of pioneering gender-sensitive laws related to climate change, including RA 9729, RA 7192, and RA 10121, which aim to mainstream gender mainstreaming in climate action. Among these laws, the Women`s Magna Carta establishes women`s right to food security and women`s right to participate in decision-making. In addition, the Climate Change Act was amended to create an adaptation fund for local governments, the People`s Survival Fund. Legarda explains that to be approved for this funding, projects “must address gender vulnerabilities.” It also notes that the Government has allocated 5 per cent of its total budget to gender equality and development every year since 1995. With the support of the legal community in advocacy and implementing gender-sensitive approaches to climate action, rural women in the Philippines have the potential to strengthen the resilience of their communities to the increasingly severe impacts of climate change. The Philippines` position on women`s rights is relatively developed compared to many other countries.

Over the past century, remarkable developments have been made that have led to increased support and protection of these rights. Progress towards gender equality has been achieved through women`s movements, more women politicians, more educated women, greater specificity of women`s issues introduced by the law and targeted implementation of these laws. In recent years, the Philippine government has addressed women`s rights under various legal regulations, including workplace discrimination, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and human trafficking. [1] The government has obviously recognized the need to promote gender equality in order to boost development and adapt to climate change.