Aiming for Gold: PCW Message on its 45th Founding Anniversary

This 2020, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) marks its 45th founding anniversary and the beginning of our five-year journey to our 50th or golden year.

We continue to work for a community where women, like gold, are valued; one where they are treated with respect and dignity. With our twin tasks of formulating policies and overseeing government instrumentalities, we are molding mindsets, and influencing practices and delivery of services so that these would advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.

PCW was created as the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 633, on January 7, 1975 to act as an advisory body to the President and the Cabinet on policies and programs for the advancement of women. From a lean team of 15 back in the 70’s, PCW’s work force is now stronger with 84 plantilla staffers, augmented by 45 contractual and contract of service personnel. We will continue to negotiate for the regularization of our vital human resources to ensure continual improvement of our programs and services. 

In 45 years, the Commission has earned golds in its pursuit of equality through the promotion of social legislations for marginalized women, fight against violence against women (VAW), gender-responsive governance and institutions, and institutional mechanisms down to the barangay level.

We have been guided by the provisions of Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), known as the International Bill of Rights of Women, which took effect as an international treaty in 1981. It has in its core respect,
protection and fulfillment of women’s human rights. It was translated locally through the Magna Carta of women in 2009, which paved the way to the renaming of NCRFW to PCW and the enshrining of rights of marginalized women.

This year, we will continue to pursue our international and national mandate to ensure that government agencies and other stakeholders deliver programs and services to women, at par with golden standards, thus, in accordance with their rights. We will continue to work until all women and girls are free from discrimination, violence, sexism, and misogyny. We will continue to provide technical guidance to our partners at the national and local governments towards making their programs and services gender-responsive; thus, broadening opportunities for women and girls to reach their full potential.

Coinciding with PCW’s 45th anniversary this year 2020 is the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action or BPfA, a landmark document for advancing the rights of women and gender equality worldwide agreed during the 4th World Conference on Women in 1995.

Thus, as CEDAW turns 39 and BPfA marks its 25th year, we are making our voice louder:  women and girls deserve gold in all aspects. We echo the United Nations campaign, “Generation Equality: Realizing women’s rights for an equal future”, as we call for equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end to sexual harassment and violence against women and girls, health care services that respond to their needs, and their equal participation in political life and in decision-making in all areas of life.

PCW, driven by our core values of passion for excellence, professionalism, integrity, teamwork, and accountability, is here to show that like gold, each woman is a catalyst. A catalyst for positive change.