Annex 1: National Gender Strategy and Policies under each Government Administration from 1975

Administration/Year Gender Strategy/Policy Action Agenda

Marcos
1975

Presidential Decree No. 633
Establishment of Advisory body to the President and the Cabinet on policies and programmes for the advancement of women mandated "to review, evaluate, and recommend measures, including priorities to ensure the full integration of women for economic, social and cultural development at national, regional and international levels, and to ensure further equality between women and men."
  • Organize women into a nationwide movement
  • Conduct policy studies and lobbying for the issuance of executive and legislative measures concerning women
  • Establish a clearinghouse and information centre on women;
  • Monitor the implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Aquino (Corazon)
1986-1992

1987 Constitution
Republic Act 7192 (Women in Nation Building)
  • Mainstream Gender
  • Strengthen Institutions through gender mainstreaming

Ramos
1992-1998

Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development 1995 – 2015

Passage of the Gender and Development Budget in annual General Appropriation Act
  • Build capacity of Government Agencies
  • Implement 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on the UN 4th World Conference on Women
  • Allocate a minimum of 5% of total appropriation for gender and development programmes and projects
  • Strengthen the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women as the coordinating body on policies affecting women

Ejercito-Estrada
1998-2001

Executive Orders 208 and 268
Advocacy for development of programmes and projects that benefit women and enable them to participate in the decision making process.
  • Strengthen Institutions
  • Advocate for the development of programmes and projects that benefit women and enable them to participate in the decision making process

Macapagal-Arroyo
2001-2010

Support in the poverty alleviation agenda

Republic Act 9710 (Magna Carta of Women (2009))

Magna Carta of Women Implementing Rules and Regulations (2010)

 
  • Advance and protect human rights, promote women’s economic empowerment and gender-responsive governance
  • Promote women’s rights and empowermenta
  • Review and, when necessary, amend and/or repeal existing laws that are discriminatory to women within three (3) years from the year that Magna Carta comes into effect.
  • Implement rules and regulations called on the different branches and agencies of the government to act on the provision.
  • The Magna Carta of Women is a comprehensive women's human rights law that seeks to eliminate discrimination against women by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women, especially those in the marginalized sectors.

Aquino (Benigno III)
2010 – 2016

Joint Philippine Commission on Women and National Economic Development Authority Memorandum 2011-01 and PCW Memorandum Circular 2014-01

Submission of Policy Issuances on the Creation, Reconstitution and or Strengthening of the Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS) and Updated Directory of GFPS Members

Joint Philippine Commission on Women-Department of Interior and Local Government-Department of Budget and Management-National Economic Development Authority Joint Memorandum Circular 2013-01

PCW Memorandum Circulars on the preparation of FY2012-2016 budgets and Gender and Development Accomplishment Reports

Republic Act 10354 (The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012)

PCW Memorandum Circular No. 2014-06 Promoting the Use of Gender Sensitive Language in the Drafting and Review of Legislative Measures

PCW Memorandum Circular 2014-02: Implementation of the Women’s Empowerment, Development and Gender equality plan 2013-2016 (Women’s EDGE Plan)
  • Provide guidelines for the creation, strengthening and institutionalization of the Gender and Development Focal Point System
  • Provide guidelines on the localization of the Magna Carta of Women
  • Provide PCW issuance on the preparation of annual Gender And Development Plans and budgets and Gender And Development Accomplishment reports
  • Provide for a national policy on responsible parenthood and reproductive health.
  • Use of gender-fair language as a first benchmark of gender sensitivity; encourages the use of non-sexist language in all official documents, communications and issuances aligned with the RA 9710
  • The Women’s Empowerment, Development and Gender Equality (EDGE) Plan operationalizes the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) and fulfils the President’s Social Contract in promoting of equal gender opportunity in public policies and programmes. Guides the mainstreaming efforts in government agencies to fulfil obligations in the MCW. Inform the preparation of Gender and Development Plans and budgets of agencies as it highlights priority gender issues and strategies for inclusion in Gender and Development plans and budgets.

 

  1. Chapter IV of the Magna Carta of Women include the following Rights and Empowerment: Right to protection from violence including those committed by the state; incremental increase in the recruitment and training of women in fields that provide services for women victims of gender related offices; protection and security in situations of armed conflict and militarization; mandatory human rights and gender sensitivity training for all government personnel involved in the protection and defense of women against gender based violence; establishment of VAW desk in every barangay; right to protection and security in times of disasters, calamities, and other crisis situations especially in all phases of relief, recovery, rehabilitation and construction efforts including protection from sexual exploitation; right to participation and representations including in the civil service, development councils, planning bodies, international bodies, political parties, private sector, and other policy and decision-making bodies; right to equal treatment before the law; right to equal access and elimination of discrimination in education, scholarships and training; right to equal participation in sports, non-discriminatory and non-derogatory portrayal of women in media and film; right to non-discrimination in employment in the field of military, police and other similar services; right to health –comprehensive health services and education on all aspects of women’s health; right to special leave benefits; right in all matters relating to marriage, family relations; Rights of Marginalized Women-right to food security and productive resources; right to localized, accessible, secure and affordable housing; right to decent work; right to livelihood, credit, capital and technology; right to representation and participation in policy-making and decision-making bodies; right to access to information regarding policies on women, including programmes, projects and funding outlays that affect them; right to social protection; recognition and preservation of cultural identity and integrity; and peace and development.