Repeal of laws discriminating women sought

MANILA, Philippines - Two lawmakers have called on the House of Representatives to repeal or amend all existing laws with provisions that discriminate women.

Taguig City Rep. Lino Cayetano and Youth Against Corruption and Poverty partylist Rep. Carol  Jayne B. Lopez filed House Resolution 904 directing the Committee on Women and Gender Equality and the Committee on Population and Family Relations to conduct a review of all existing laws, with provisions which are prejudiced to women.

Cayetano cited Section 12 of RA 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women, which explicitly provides that the State shall take steps to review and amend or repeal if necessary existing laws that are discriminatory to women within three years from the effectivity of the Act.

"The Magna Carta of Women defines discrimination against women as any gender-based distinction, exclusion, or restriction which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil, or any other field," he said.

Cayetano said the Committees on Women and Gender Equality and Population and Family Relations and other concerned House panels conducted hearings and sponsored bills on the amendment or repeal of provisions contained in several pieces of legislation, which are discriminatory to women and women's rights.

"There is still a need for a continuous review of discriminatory provisions against women in various existing laws to ensure that the full human rights of women, as guaranteed by the Constitution and by international conventions to which the Philippines is a party-signatory, are upheld to encourage and enable active participation of women and significantly contribute to the national development," Cayetano said.

For her part, Lopez said the Philippines, as a party-signatory of the Convention on the elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, is committed to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women.