Women's rights in the Philippines

Last updated

The position of the Philippines on women's rights is relatively developed compared to many other nations. Over the past century, noticeable developments have been made which have led to greater endorsement and protection of these rights. The progression towards gender equality came about through women's movements, increased numbers of women political representatives, increased numbers of educated women, greater specificity on women's issues instituted under legislation, and the focused application of those laws. In recent years, the Filipino government has addressed the rights of women under a multitude of legislative schemes including workplace discrimination, domestic violence, sexual harassment and human trafficking. [1]

Contents

The Philippines has one of the smallest rates of gender disparity in the world. In the Global Gender Gap Index 2017, the Philippines ranked 10th out of 145 countries for gender equality. [2] The Philippines ranks higher than any other Asia-Pacific country but New Zealand. [3] These roles range between the traditional position of mother, looking after children and household, to positions in the political arena.

Despite the great progress and achievements for women's rights the Philippines has garnered so far, the country is still in need of further development. There exists a discrepancy between women who have politically, academically and financially excelled, compared to women who are domestically abused, financially unstable and who are exploited through prostitution and migrant work. [4]

Suffrage movement

The women's suffrage movement in the Philippines was one of the first, major occasions on which women grouped together politically. It was also one of the first women's rights movements, and endeavored to attain the right for women to vote and run for office. Many Filipino men were opposed to the idea, and held fast to the traditional view that a woman's place was cooking, cleaning and child rearing in the home. The males of this perspective were primarily concerned that the familial dynamic would destabilize if women were to formally step outside their customary role.

However, not all Filipino men were opposed to the movement. Congressman Filemon Sotto of Cebu filed the first women's suffrage bill at the 1907 Philippine Assembly. [5] From there on, various suffrage bills were sponsored by a number of prominent men in society including; Assemblyman Melecio Severino of Negros Occidental in 1912, Mariano Cuenco of Cebu in 1916, and various assemblymen from Bulacan, Laguna and Tomas Luna in 1918. [6] None of these bills succeeded. It was not until 1936 that the climate for women's suffrage shifted propitiously for women.

President Manuel L. Quezon declared his favour towards the suffragette movement in a speech delivered at Malacanang Palace in Manila on September 30, 1936. [7] President Quezon, having signed the Woman's Suffrage Plebiscite Bill, held that, “…it is essential and even imperative that the right to vote be granted to Filipino women if they are not to be treated as mere slaves” and that, for women, it was “…their opportunity to wield a very important weapon to defend their right to secure for themselves and those to follow them their well-being and happiness.” [8] Under the 1934 Constitution of the Philippines, Article V held that women were to gain suffrage provided 300,000 women would affirm the same desire at the ballot. [9]

On September 17, 1937, women's suffrage was legalized in the Philippines, after the required threshold for the plebiscite of 300,000 was surpassed. 447,725 women affirmed their aspiration to vote, against 33,307 no votes. [10] The Philippines was one of the first Asian countries to allow this right for women. [11]

Education

Society in the Philippines values education very highly, especially for their children. It is understood to be the means by which personal and familial poverty can be averted -allowing for a more successful way of life.

According to the Philippines's 2013 Census of Population and Housing, the literacy rate of the nation was recorded at 96.5%. [12] It was also found that the literacy rate for females was 97% and males was 96.10%. [13]

Tertiary education participation rates in the Philippines are among the highest in the world. The Honourable Patricia B. Licuanan, in her address at the United Nations in 2011, mentioned the high academic achievement of women, yet recognised their under-representation in some occupational fields. [14] In areas such as engineering, technology, religion, law, trade and agriculture the graduates predominantly remain to be male. It has been hoped that this can be addressed through changes to school curriculum, educational classes based on the elimination of gender stereotypes and the boosting of general awareness of gender issues. [15]

The former gap between male and female literacy and tertiary graduates no longer exists. Accessibility and attainment of education has been a major contributor to the general well-being and standard of living for not only all women, but all people, throughout the Philippines.

Political participation

Filipino women have become increasingly involved in politics on both the local and national level. Scholars believe that the rise of women leaders can be largely attributed to familial connection and the support the Catholic Church gives to women. [16] Women have come to occupy wide-ranging positions such as members of senate, members of congress, senators, governors, mayors and judges. The greatest exemplification of Filipino women’s involvement in politics are the occasions of female presidency. There have been several women who have run for presidency in the past, but since 1986 there have been two female presidents:

According to the Republic of the Philippines Commission on Elections (COMELEC), [20] the 2016 Certified List of Candidates for the position of President, two out of the six candidates were women:

Violence against women

Despite the comparatively advanced position of gender equality that the Philippines maintains, gender-based violence towards women, particularly domestic violence, remains a pervasive problem.

The Philippine Statistics Authority’s National Demographic and Health Survey 2013 revealed that:

Many significant laws have been enacted directly addressing this issue. These include the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (Republic Act (RA) 9262), the Anti-Rape Law (RA 8353), the Rape-Victim Assistance and Protection Act (RA 8505), the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law (RA 7877), the Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act 2003 (RA 9208) and many more. [28] [29] Despite these initiatives, there is increasing recognition that the incongruence between the laws and its effect is due to little or ineffective implementation.

In striving towards successful implementation of the law to help eliminate violence against women, a multitude of governmental, charitable and religious organisations offer their services by taking in and caring for women; as well as promoting public awareness on the subject. The Philippine Commission on Women draws attention to various centers and programs that work to alleviate violence against women. These include women's crisis facilities, domestic violence phone helplines and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Crisis Intervention Unit. [30]

Reproductive rights

In the Philippines, abortion has been illegal and criminalized for over a century. This is mainly due to Spanish colonial-era influences in Filipino life, notably Catholicism.

It is under the Penal Code 1870 that abortion was first criminalized, and from there the Revised Penal Code 1930 adapted the same criminalizing law. Under the Revised Penal Code, midwives and physicians who have carried out abortions could face imprisonment for six years –even if they had the consent of the pregnant woman. [31] Due to the lack of exceptions in this area, women can also face imprisonment for a sentence between two and six years for having an abortion.

In the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article II mentions the importance of the sanctity of family life. Section 12 elaborates on this holding that, “It [the State] shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception.” [32]

Pregnant women who want abortions, generally have to seek them clandestinely. Some women have even deliberately conducted themselves in such a way as to bring about miscarriage. Those women who have received proper treatment for their health complications due to abortion procedure have often felt stigmatized by those treating them. [33]

Despite the law on abortion currently standing unaltered, debate over change is ongoing. [34] At present, a woman who has been raped cannot undergo abortion due to Article II. However, in cases where the life of the mother is threatened by the pregnancy, a doctor may let the spouse to choose between the life of the unborn child or the mother.

Constitutional Protections

The Philippines has many constitutional and legislative protections for women; particularly in the area of violence against women. Some of these include or are included in;

See also

Related Research Articles

Womens rights Rights claimed for women and girls worldwide

Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide, and they formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behavior, whereas in others, they are ignored and suppressed. They differ from broader notions of human rights through claims of an inherent historical and traditional bias against the exercise of rights by women and girls, in favor of men and boys.

This is an index of articles related to the issue of feminism, women's liberation, the women's movement, and women's rights.

Gender equality Equal access for males and females to rights, resources, opportunities and protections

Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing different behaviors, aspirations and needs equally, regardless of gender.

As in other countries, feminism in the United Kingdom seeks to establish political, social, and economic equality for women. The history of feminism in Britain dates to the very beginnings of feminism itself, as many of the earliest feminist writers and activists—such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Barbara Bodichon, and Lydia Becker—were British.

Revised Penal Code

The Revised Penal Code contains the general penal laws of the Philippines. First enacted in 1930, it remains in effect today, despite several amendments thereto. It does not comprise a comprehensive compendium of all Philippine penal laws. The Revised Penal Code itself was enacted as Act No. 3815, and some Philippine criminal laws have been enacted outside of the Revised Penal Code as separate Republic Acts.

Timeline of women's legal rights represents formal changes and reforms regarding women's rights. The changes include actual law reforms as well as other formal changes, such as reforms through new interpretations of laws by precedents. For such things only in the United States, see Timeline of women's legal rights in the United States. The right to vote is exempted from the timeline: for that right, see Timeline of women's suffrage. The timeline excludes ideological changes and events within feminism and antifeminism: for that, see Timeline of feminism.

Women in Argentina

The status of women in Argentina has changed significantly following the return of democracy in 1983; and they have attained a relatively high level of equality. In the Global Gender Gap Report prepared by the World Economic Forum in 2009, Argentine women ranked 24th among 134 countries studied in terms of their access to resources and opportunities relative to men. They enjoy comparable levels of education, and somewhat higher school enrollment ratios than their male counterparts. They are well integrated in the nation's cultural and intellectual life, though less so in the nation's economy. Their economic clout in relation to men is higher than in most Latin American countries, however, and numerous Argentine women hold top posts in the Argentine corporate world; among the best known are Cris Morena, owner of the television production company by the same name, María Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat, former CEO and majority stakeholder of Loma Negra, the nation's largest cement manufacturer, and Ernestina Herrera de Noble, director of Grupo Clarín, the premier media group in Argentina.

Philippine Commission on Women

The Philippine Commission on Women, is a government agency run by the government of the Philippines with the intention of promoting and protecting the rights of the Women in the Philippines. It was established on January 7, 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 633.

Feminism in Ireland has played a major role in shaping the legal and social position of women in present-day Ireland. The role of women has been influenced by numerous legal changes in the second part of the 20th century, especially in the 1970s.

Violence Against Women is "the word or concept (that) has been used in a broad, inclusive manner to encompass verbal abuse, intimidation, physical harassment, homicide, sexual assault, and rape ." This form of violence is gender-biased. Violence occurs precisely because of their gender, specifically because the victims are women.

Women in Yemen

Women in Yemen have historically been placed at a disadvantage due to their sex, with a highly patriarchal society. Although the government of Yemen has made efforts that will improve the rights of women in Yemen, many cultural and religious norms, along with poor enforcement of this legislation from the Yemeni government, have prevented Yemeni women from having equal rights to men.

Women in Armenia

Women in Armenia have enjoyed equal rights, including the right to vote, since the establishment of the First Republic of Armenia. On June 21 and 23, 1919, the first direct parliamentary elections were held in Armenia under universal suffrage - every person over the age of 20 had the right to vote regardless of gender, ethnicity or religious beliefs. The 80-seat legislature, charged with setting the foundation for an Armenian state, contained three women deputies: Katarine Zalyan-Manukyan, Perchuhi Partizpanyan-Barseghyan and Varvara Sahakyan.

Gender inequality in El Salvador

Gender inequality can be found in various areas of Salvadoran life such as employment, health, education, political participation, and family life. Although women in El Salvador enjoy equal protection under the law, they are often at a disadvantage relative to their male counterparts. In the area of politics, women have the same rights as men, but the percentage of women in office compared to men is low. Though much progress has been made since the Salvadoran Civil War ended in 1992, women in El Salvador still face gender inequality.

Women in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a Constitutional Republic in West Africa. Since it was founded in 1787, the women in Sierra Leone have been a major influence in the political and economic development of the nation.

Women in Bulgaria Status of women in the Republic of Bulgaria

Women in Bulgaria refers to women who live in and are from Bulgaria. Women's position in Bulgarian society has been influenced by a variety of cultures and ideologies, including the Byzantine and Ottoman cultures, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, communist ideology, and contemporary globalized Western values.

Women in Finland

Women in Finland enjoy a "high degree of equality" and "traditional courtesy" among men. In 1906, the women of Finland became the first women in Europe to be granted the right to vote. There are many women in Finland who hold prominent positions in Finnish society, in the academics, in the field of business, and in the government of Finland. An example of powerful women in Finnish politics is Tarja Halonen, who became the first female president of the country. In religion, where most of the Finnish people are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, women can be ordained as priests. In terms of finance, Finnish women have been described as "usually independent financially". Married women, by custom, introduces themselves by mentioning their forename first, then their maiden name, and then the surname of their husbands. The Telegraph has written:

Finnish women are much more outgoing and approachable than the men and often command three or four languages. Their position in society and business is well-respected and superior to that of women in most other cultures.

The evolution and history of women in Asia coincide with the evolution and history of Asian continent itself. They also correspond with the cultures that developed within the region. Asian women can be categorically grouped as women from the Asian subregions of Central Asia, East Asia, North Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Western Asia.

Feminism in South Korea is the origin and history of the movement of feminism or women's rights in South Korea.

Feminism in Sweden is a significant social and political influence within Swedish society. Swedish political parties across the political spectrum commit to gender-based policies in their public political manifestos. The Swedish government assesses all policy according to the tenets of gender mainstreaming. Women in Sweden are 45% of the political representatives in the Swedish Parliament. Women make up 43% of representatives in local legislatures as of 2014. In addition, in 2014 newly sworn in Foreign Minister Margot Wallström announced a Feminist Foreign Policy

Timeline of women's legal rights represents formal changes and reforms regarding women's rights. That includes actual law reforms as well as other formal changes, such as reforms through new interpretations of laws by precedents. The right to vote is exempted from the timeline: for that right, see Timeline of women's suffrage. The timeline also excludes ideological changes and events within feminism and antifeminism: for that, see Timeline of feminism.

References

  1. ↑ Iwanaga, Kazuki.Women's Political Participation and Representation in Asia: Obstacles and Challenges. Copenhagen: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies. p. 243.
  2. ↑ World Economic Forum, Gender Gap Index 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  3. ↑ Mercurio, Richmond S. (19 November 2015).Highest in Asia Pacific: Philippines climbs to 7th in gender equality index, PhilStar Global Business (Mandaluyong City).
  4. ↑ Anonuevo, Carlos Antonio Q. (September 2000), Overview of the Gender Situation in the Philippines.
  5. ↑ Davis, Leonard (1989).Revolutionary Struggle in the Philippines. United States of America: Palgrave MacMillan. p. 127.
  6. ↑ Davis, Leonard (1989). Revolutionary Struggle in the Philippines. United States of America: Palgrave MacMillan. p. 127.
  7. ↑ Speech of President Quezon on Woman Suffrage. Official Gazette, September 30, 1936.
  8. ↑ Speech of President Quezon on Woman Suffrage. Official Gazette, September 30, 1936.
  9. ↑ Guillermo, Artemio R. (2012). Historical Dictionary of the Philippines. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. p. 416.
  10. ↑ Guillermo, Artemio R. (2012). Historical Dictionary of the Philippines. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. p. 416.
  11. ↑ Iwanaga, Kazuki.Women's Political Participation and Representation in Asia: Obstacles and Challenges. Copenhagen: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies. p. 218.
  12. ↑ Philippine Statistics Authority: School Attendance is Higher Among Females than Males (27 December 2013).
  13. ↑ Philippine Statistics Authority: School Attendance is Higher Among Females than Males (27 December 2013).
  14. ↑ Statement by Hon. Patricia B. Licuanan Commission on Higher Education Republic of the Philippines p. 4.
  15. ↑ Statement by Hon. Patricia B. Licuanan Commission on Higher Education Republic of the Philippines p. 4.
  16. ↑ Silvestre, Jaylyn. The Rise of Women Leaders in the Philippines. The Berkeley McNair Research Journal. p. 165.
  17. ↑ Guillermo, Artemio R. (2012). Historical Dictionary of the Philippines. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. p. 416.
  18. ↑ TIME Magazine January 5th, 1987.
  19. ↑ Skard, Torild (2015). Women of Power: Half a century of female presidents and prime ministers worldwide. Great Britain: Policy Press. p. 172.
  20. ↑ Philippines Commission on Elections. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  21. ↑ Senate of the Philippines Biography. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  22. ↑ The Philippines Iron Lady Miriam Santiago Obituary. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  23. ↑ 6 senators proclaimed based on 24% of COCs, Rappler. May 16, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  24. ↑ Philippine Statistics Authority (August 2014) Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey 2013 p. 185.
  25. ↑ Philippine Statistics Authority (August 2014) Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey 2013 p. 185.
  26. ↑ Philippine Statistics Authority (August 2014) Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey 2013 p. 185.
  27. ↑ Philippine Statistics Authority (August 2014) Philippine National Demographic and Health Survey 2013 p. 185.
  28. ↑ Mallorca-Bernabe, Grace N. (December 2005) A Deeper Look at Violence Against Women. p. 5.
  29. ↑ Mallorca-Bernabe, Grace N.(December 2005) Violence Against Women: The Case of the Philippines.Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  30. ↑ Philippines Commission on Women, Initiatives to Eliminate Violence against Women. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  31. ↑ Center for Reproductive Rights, Facts on Abortion in the Philippines (January 28, 2010).
  32. ↑ The 1987 Constitnmution of the Republic of the Philippines.
  33. ↑ Center for Reproductive Rights, Facts on Abortion in the Philippines (January 28, 2010).
  34. ↑ Filipina Women's Network, Philippines: Women Human Rights Defenders Break the Silence on Unsafe Abortion (February 16, 2016).
  35. ↑ The Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.
  36. ↑ The Revised Penal Code of the Philippines.
  37. ↑ Republic Act No. 7877.
  38. ↑ Republic Act No. 9710.
  39. ↑ Republic Act No. 9710.
  40. ↑ The Republic Act No. 10354.
  41. ↑ The Republic Act No. 10354.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.