By Gabriela Baron
Women’s rights advocates marched on Wednesday, March 1, in Quezon City to commemorate the National Women’s Month.
Women’s group GABRIELA, Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and women’s organization Sarilaya marched along Commonwealth Avenue to Liwasang Diokno in CHR to stress Filipinas’ issues and urgent calls during the Purple Action Day.
“We carry on our backs the long history of women’s struggle for democratic rights and social justice,” GABRIELA Chairperson Gertrudes Libang said, noting that Filipino women remain to be a disadvantaged group.
Libang cited the “persisting” gender wage gap, unrecognized and undervalued contribution to agricultural work, and the reproductive work that “burdens women.”
“Now more than ever, it is crucial for Filipino women to continue organizing unions to promote the rights and welfare of all workers, and to resist all attempts to silence their just calls,” she continued.
“History taught us that the rights and liberties we enjoy today weren’t handed to us on a silver platter—it was a product of women and workers’ militant struggles for democracy and justice,” she added.
The Purple Action Day’s theme is: Kababaihan para sa Karapatan, Kababaihan para sa Makatarungang Lipunan.” -ag
