2011 National Women’s Month
Fulfilling its mandate of advancing gender equality and empowering Filipino women, the Philippine Commission on Women, in collaboration with other national government agencies and civil society organizations, enjoins everyone in the 2011 Women’s Month Celebration with the theme: “Magna Carta of Women, Philippine CEDAW: In support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”
Presidential Proclamation Nos. 224 and 227, and Republic Act 6949 provide for the yearly observance of the month of March as National Women’s Month.
This year’s celebration is anchored on the importance of Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women, the national translation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women or the CEDAW, to the achievement of the Eight (8) Millennium Development Goals, namely:
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
The PCW is one with the government’s commitment to gear all efforts towards the achievement of the MDGs by 2015. The objectives for this year’s women’s month are:
- To increase public awareness on the Millennium Development Goals and the Magna Carta of Women, the Philippine CEDAW; and
- To serve as venue for synergizing efforts to address gender issues in the MDGs and develop strategies and programs to address them.
In recognition that all goals require serious and concerted efforts among various stakeholders, we enjoin all government agencies, state universities and colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations, especially local government units to come up with programs, projects or activities along the general theme. Agencies preferably in partnership with other government agencies and non-government organizations are encouraged to organize activities on the following topics:
On Gender and Poverty (Goal 1): Determining the target poor and identify convergence of innovative interventions, poverty alleviation, food security and asset democratization;
On Gender and Education (Goal 2) : Enhancing early childhood care and development towards achieving universal primary education;
On Gender and Health (Goals 4,5,6) : Promotion of the use of birth planning;
On Gender and Environment (Goal 7) : Addressing climate change vulnerabilities of women and promoting the participation of women in disaster risk preparedness;
On Women’s Empowerment (Goal 3) : Women’s participation in politics and decision making, prevention of trafficking of women and children;
On Global Partnership for Development and Financing the MDGs (Goal 8) : Enhancements of GAD Budgeting and Planning Guidelines, maximizing public-private and ODA partnerships in the attainment of the MDGs.
All participating agencies and LGUs are requested to submit their calendar of activities by 25 February 2011 to PCW, through email address pcw_2011womensmonth@yahoo.com or fax number (02) 736-4449, for consolidation and dissemination. Should you have further inquiries, you may contact the PCW at (02) 735-47-66, 735-18-64 and 735-85-09.
Let us work together in making this year’s Women’s Month a substantive beginning of highlighting the important role of women in achieving and engendering the Millennium Development Goals!
