By Gabriela Baron
Women’s rights advocates and organizations stressed the importance of addressing the inequalities faced by women and girls towards a “just, inclusive, and sustainable future.”
“Amplifying women’s voices and spotlighting their leadership and contributions to social development and nation building in public platforms like this is essential in paving the way towards a just and equal future for all,” Oxfam Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Geronimo said during the “Babae ang Bukas: Women’s Conversations” event over the weekend.
The panel discussion tackled how Filipino women and girls “disproportionately shoulder” the burden of unpaid care work at home, leaving them unable to study, do income generating activities, or participate in decision-making.
Geronimo also appealed for “gender-responsive and inclusive policies” that would ensure the availability of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, information, and commodities to women, girls, youth, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).
“We need a rights-based approach to sexual and reproductive health. While there is a proposed national policy in addressing adolescent pregnancy, there is much to be done in terms of influencing policymakers to ensure its universality and gender-responsiveness,” Geronimo added.
The event also highlighted the importance of women’s participation and leadership in peacebuilding and social healing, as well as the need for collaborative work between the government and civil service organizations to expand women’s role in conflict transformation and to ensure the protection of human rights in conflict situations. – cf
