Philippine Commission on Women and Spanish Agency to implement women’s landmark law

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) today announced the launch and signing of a multi-pronged initiative to reduce gender disparities and inequalities in the country’s economic, social and political spheres.

PCW and AECID will partner in the implementation of the project “Institutional Strengthening of National and Local Governance on Human Rights and Economic Empowerment with a Gender Focus: Implementation of the Magna Carta of Women.”

“Filipino women comprise half of the Philippine population and their issues and concerns are substantially relevant for societal progress,” PCW Chairperson Remedios Rikken said adding that the passage of Republic Act 9710, or the Magna Carta of Women (MCW), on August 14, 2009 is a “legislative milestone that caps a nine-year legislative lobby” by women’s groups. The law recognizes and protects women’s rights at home, at work and in all spheres of the society toward developing all aspects of their well-being.

The three-year project will strengthen the capacity and coordination of PCW, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Budget and management, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Civil Service Commission (CSC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED, Commission on Audit (COA), and selected local government units (LGUs) to implement, monitor and evaluate the implementation of MCW.

Rikken said as the project progresses, government capacity to synergize services for women’s human rights and economic empowerment needs and to increase their participation in policy making, planning and programming, resource allocation, and monitoring and evaluation shall be strengthened.