RP lauded for progress on gender equality in UN session

The Philippines recently received kudos from other member-states of the United Nations for its efforts to promote gender equality and women empowerment.

In a release posted on its Website, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the commendation was made at the 23rd Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the promotion of women's rights.

The Special Session coincided with the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women held last March 1 to 12 in New York.

The DFA said the gathering was also meant to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, hailed as an important international agenda aimed at achieving greater equality and empowerment for women.

Myrna Yao, Philippine representative and chairwoman of the Philippine Commission on the Status of Women, reported the country's policies and programs to promote gender equality and women empowerment.

These include the enactment into law of the Magna Carta of Women, which involve the appointment of the Commission on Human Rights as the gender and development ombudsman to ensure the promotion and protection of women’s rights, and the institution of a Gender Audit, assigned as the task of the Commission on Audit, to perform annual audits on the use of government offices of their gender and development budgets.

Laws have also been enacted to combat trafficking in persons, rape, sexual harassment and domestic violence through inter-agency councils, performance standards and assessment tools that ensure their effective implementation, the release further stated.

The 54th Session seeks to chart the progress made by governments since 1995, share experiences and learn from best practices in overcoming obstacles and challenges in the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment.

According to the DFA, the Philippine delegation joined more than 7,000 delegates from around the world in attending the UN session.

For her part, Senator Pilar Juliana “Pia" Cayetano delivered a statement on the progress made by Parliaments in enforcing gender equality and women's rights and their effective implementation, in addressing discriminatory legislation and in developing a more gender sensitive legal framework.

Cayetano is President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Coordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians.

The Philippine Delegation to the 54th Session included representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Commission on Women, Commission on Audit, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Agriculture, Commission on Human Rights, Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Senate, as well as members of civil society.

The Philippines likewise co-sponsored the launch of the UNAIDS Agenda for Accelerated Country Action for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV (2010-2014) with celebrated artist Annie Lennox who is also an activist for women and HIV victims.

The five-year action plan addressed gender inequalities and human rights violations that continue to put women and girls at risk of HIV infection.

It also called on the UN system to support governments, civil society and development partners in reinforcing country actions to put women and girls at the centre of the AIDS response, ensuring that their gender rights are protected.—Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV

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