Progress launched in the Philippines

8 December 2011, Manila – In partnership with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs , Ateneo Human Rights Center, UN Women presented the first major Report with a focus on women’s access to justice.  

Keynote address was delivered by the Hon. Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando of the Philippines’ Court of Appeals.  The launch was attended by Foreign Affairs  Assistant Secretary Laura Q Del Rosario, Philippine Commission of Women (PCW) Executive Director Emmeline Verzosa, Philippine Representative to the ASEAN Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Rosario Manalo, former Santanina Rasul, and UN Resident Coordinator Jacqueline Badcock, and other esteemed members of the judiciary, government personnel, academia and representatives from the civil society. Leading legal scholars and women’s rights advocates Elizabeth Pangalangan and Evalyn Ursua joined former Ambassador Manalo and other speakers in endorsing the Report and citing critical issues in the Philippines.

Related Documents

• Keynote address by Justice      Salazar-Fernando   • Opening remarks of Dr.     Jacqueline Badcock   • Speech of Shoko Ishikawa,     OIC, UN Women ESEARO   • PoWW Launch Presentation

Progress is UN Women’s biennial global assessment of progress towards gender equality. It aims to inspire bold action by governments and civil society to meet their commitments and accelerate the achievement of women’s rights worldwide. UN Women’s first major Report focuses on women’s access to justice. This stems from the recognition that laws and justice systems that work well are the foundation for gender equality.

The Philippines has achieved milestones in the promotion and protection of women’s human rights since its ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1981.  Both government and civil society have made significant contributions in implementing and monitoring the country’s international commitments to gender equality and the protection of women’s human rights.

For the Philippines, the adoption of the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) in 2009 serves as a major turning point that offers a tremendous opportunity as well as a massive challenge to promote, protect and fulfill women’s human rights.  While the Philippines fares well in several gender equality indicators, there is still so much to be done, especially in the area of ‘women and justice’ and ‘women in politics,’ said UN Resident Coordinator Dr. Jacqueline Badcock in her speech.

Justice system remains a male-dominate field. In 2010, only 34% of the total incumbent judges in the first and second level courts, including Shari’a courts were women. No woman chief justice since 1920. Women’s share of seats in the electoral politics remains short of the global target of 30% (even 50% as per UNCSW). In the 2007 elections only 23% of elected officials are women; 53 out of 236 seats in the Lower House, 4 out of 24 seats in the Upper House. Women's participation in local governance and political decision-making must be strengthened especially at the sanggunians, where women comprise only 15% of councilors compared to men who comprised 85%, she added.

Although women dominate the bureaucracy (59% of the total government personnel), they are likely to hold technical and clerical positions compared to managerial and executive posts of men. Women comprise only the 32% of those granted with Certificate of Land Ownership Agreement (Department of Agrarian Reform, 2009). Most victims of VAW did not seek help from the male-dominated police force or the social service. They opt to fight back and/or sought help from friends and family (NDHS, 2008). Laws that advance women’s rights and address their pressing concerns remain pending i.e. RH Bill, Kasambahay Bill (for domestic workers), Anti-Prostitution Bill, Marital Infidelity Bill.

“From past experience here and in other countries, we have seen that to effectively facilitate the implementation of CEDAW and other gender equality commitments, multi-stakeholder participation is essential,” said Shoko Ishikawa, OIC, UN Women East South East Asia, in her introductory remarks to the Progress report.  In the Philippines, for example, CEDAW Watch networks that brought together women’s groups, law practitioners and human rights advocates played a vital role in monitoring CEDAW implementation. “Given that the Progress of World’s Women report now calls on all of us to pay increased attention to the question  of justice – perhaps it is also timely to think about building ‘access to justice’ networks that, just like the CEDAW Watch networks, could serve as catalysts and monitoring body to help advance progress in the pursuit of justice. We hope that this UN Women flagship report could generate more interest in this issue and help inspire even more innovative approaches.”

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