PCW chairperson highlights Philippine gains: Gender equality, women's protection

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla highlighted the country’s gains in addressing the status of women, as advancements in demographic influence, leadership, visibility, economic, and climate issues were noted at the 70^th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women on 20 April.

Primarily, the chairperson said that the delegate's Advocacy on Technological-Segregated Gender-Based Violence, as part of existing legislation and the Tri-City Justice Zone, creates a normative framework to strengthen domestic enforcement and improve platform accountability, ensuring AI tools do not replicate gender violence.

With the Senate’s support, the country hopes to lead this agenda, where digital, technologically-facilitated gender-based violence is acted upon, establishing domestic enforcement for AI systems to not be replicated in online platforms, as children are susceptible to new spaces created where abuse, harassment, and exploitation are prevalent.

Secondly, Valdeavilla also emphasized advances on Filipino women’s economic justice, which addresses sexual harassment in the workplace, home, and other spaces, implementing conventions to highlight key factors on the rights of women aimed at all women who experience injustices.

Through economic justice advancements, it can strengthen international commitments towards racial justice for Filipinas, including protections against wage discrimination, and secure informal employment. 

Valdeavilla stressed that millions of Filipino women work in informal economies with little to no legal protection, and often in conditions of extreme vulnerability.

“In the field of informal economy, we still have a lot to do, and I hope we can help with this after our report back,” Valdeavilla said.

With this, PCW aims to completely reinforce state obligations to extend labor protections to these sectors, align national law with ILO conventions, and address the gender dimensions of precariousness.

“In the field of informal economy, we still have a lot to do, and I hope we can help with this after our report back,” Valdeavilla said.

Thirdly, PCW co-sponsored the Care Climate event to protect indigenous women's rights to land, livelihood, and nonviolence today and in the next generations. This initiative reinforces the country as a leader in the nexus of care, climate, and gender, which is now gaining adherence and multilateral finance.

"In the Care Climate side event, we raised the issue of the laws related to care, such as Republic Act 8187 or the Paternity Leave Act of 1996 (PAPA ILO) and Republic Act 11210 or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2019," the chairperson said.

Lastly, inclusive justice for the most marginalized, which intends to raise awareness, expand legal aid to those who experience abuse, and reduce the time and money it takes for women to receive legal support, as the prevention and response should be done simultaneously.

“How can women file a case when they have so many other responsibilities, including their families and children? We need a new mandate for improvement. There’s no need to keep debating; there is still so much more we can do,” Valdeavilla said in a statement.

Valdeavilla also backs operational systems and laws to advocate against violence against both women and children, creating a safer space for them in the world.

Additionally, the chairperson pointed out that ASEAN has been supporting women and their partners in the most marginalized areas. She also stressed that the expansion of legal systems to reach geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities.

Valdeavilla also calls for larger panels to strengthen women and girls' access to justice, including the amendment or enactment of new laws, gender responsive court processes, gender training of court personnel, and general funding awareness.