R.A.

9710
14 August 2009

NATIONAL bill of rights of women

Recognizing and protecting women’s rights,

and banning discrimination against women
 7 years in the making; legislative debates
started in 2002 (12th Congress)

 Merger of 2 bills:
 Magna Carta for Women
 Magna Carta of Women in Rural Development

 Landmark legislation on women’s rights,

passed in the 13th Congress

 Goal: To ensure the equitable representation

of women in all spheres of society
Recognizes and protects women’s rights
At home
 At work
 In all spheres
of society
Toward developing all aspects of women’s well-
being
Ensures the equitable participation and
representation of women in
 Government
 political parties
 the civil service and
 private sector

Guarantees the civil, political, social and

economic rights of women in marginalized
sector
 - NCRFW: “MCW seeks to eliminate all
forms of discrimination against women by
Recognizing
Protecting
Fulfilling and
Promoting
-All human rights and fundamental
freedoms of Filipino women, particularly
those in the marginalized sector.”
 -Equal opportunity for women is
emphasized under the law in all fields and
endeavors
 Ensures women’s rights to:
 Health
 Food security
 Housing
 Decent work
 Livelihood
 Social protection
 Preservation of cultural identy

 Spells out equal rights in marriage and

family, including joint decision on the
number and spacing of children
 Sec. 8 –”All rights in the Constitution and
those rights recognized under international
instruments duly signed and ratified by the
Philippines, in consonance with Philippine law
shall be rights of women under this Act to be
enjoyed without discrimination.”
 Magna Carta of Women (MCW) is the NATIONAL
bill of rights of women

 CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All

Forms of Discrimination Against Women) is the
INTERNATIONAL bill of rights of women
 1. The number of women personnel until they fill
half of third-level positions in the government.

2.Sets up in every barangay a “violence against

women’s (VAW) desk”
3.Provides incentives to parties with women’s
agenda
4. Bars the derogatory portrayal of women in media
and film
5. Ensures women’s equal access to education and
sports
6. Mandates the government to eliminate
discrimination against women in the military and
police
 Mandates an incremental increase in the
recruitment and training of women in the police
force, forensics and medico-legal, legal services
and social work services in the next 5 years until
they make up half of the number of the
personnel
 Providesfor the incremental increase of women
personnel in third-level government positions in
the next 5 years to achieve a ‘50-50’ gender
balance
 Mandates that 40% of members of development
councils in all government levels should be
women, incentives to be provided to political
parties with women’s agenda
Section 12: the State should amend or repeal
within 3 years any law discriminatory to
women Grants women the right to:
security in armed conflict
protection from all forms of gender-based
violence such as rape
Prohibits the State from forcing women,
especially indigenous women, to abandon their
land or relocating them in special centers for
military purposes under any ‘discriminatory
condition’
Mandates government personnel involved in
the protection and defense of women to
training in human rights and gender sensitivity
 Empowers civilians to arrest anyone
caught in the act of abusing a
woman
 NCRFW is now the Philippine Commission on
Women (PCW), the primary policy-making and
coordinating body for women and gender
equality concerns.
 Designates the CHR as the Gender and
Development (GAD) Ombudsman to ensure the
promotion and protection of women’s rights
(monitors compliance with the law’s provisions)
 CHR Chair Leila de Lima: “The principles of
Human Rights are there—non-discrimination,
equality, participation, self-determination,
non-exclusion...”
 Mandates the DOLE and DSWD to
strengthen the delivery of services to
women migrant workers abroad
 As the gender and development
ombudsman, the Commission on Human
Rights has the major role of helping
government agencies
 All educational materials and curriculums
that tend to stereotype women should be
revised.
 No educational institution will be allowed to
expel or refuse readmission to women
faculty members due to pregnancy outside of
wedlock.
 No school would be allowed to expel or
refuse admission to a female student solely
on the account of her getting pregnant
outside of marriage.
 Women employees would be allowed to avail
of a special leave benefit of two months with
full pay after undergoing surgery caused by
gynecological disorders, provided that she
has rendered at least six months of
continuous aggregate employment.
 In family relations, the law grants women
equal weight in all decision making processes
such as number and spacing of children and
even nationality.
 The law mandates the government to ensure
the protection and promotion of migrant
women’s rights and welfare, regardless of
work status, and protect them against
discrimination in wages, conditions of work
and employment opportunities.
 Mandates access to information and services
pertaining to women’s health.
 Sen. Jamby Madrigal, chairperson of the
Senate Committee on Youth, Women and
Family Relations-- principal author
 Sen. Pia Cayetano -- principal sponsor
 Philippine Daily Inquirer, 15 August 2009
 http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?
articleId=496127&publicationSubCategoryId=
63