The Philippines may well be the pioneer in women's legislation in the Asia-Pacific region once the proposed Magna Carta of Women is approved by the two houses of Congress. Initiated by women and gender advocates who are active in the processes around the Convention on the Elimination on All Form of Discrimination (CEDAW), the bill aims to strengthen the existing constitutional provisions and special laws on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Among the salient points of the proposed Magna Carta include provisions on protection from violence; increased participation and representation; equal treatment before the law; comprehensive health services; comprehensive health information and education; and equal rights in all matters relating to marriage and family relations; The bill also provides for the non-discriminatory and non-derogatory portrayal of women in media and film; and equal access and elimination of discrimination in education, scholarships and training, which can prevent the expulsion of female students who are pregnant outside of marriage, among many others.

“Even if there is a constitutional provision on gender equality, many women have stressed that CEDAW must be the framework of women's rights. So the proposed Magna Carta becomes the source of all women's rights and the basis of other laws in the future. It is basically CEDAW ++,” Atty. Gettie Sandoval of PILIPINA Inc. explained. A national coalition of women's groups and a member of CEDAW-Watch in the Philippines, PILIPINA took the lead in advocating the bill and consulting various women's constituents across the country.

Sandoval, however admitted difficulty in lobbying for the bill in Congress and consulting women's groups. The original text which included stronger provisions on reproductive rights had a tough sailing at the House of Representatives. “The challenge is how to influence the authors to maintain what women want. It is also important that the authors can influence their colleagues in Congress. What is always scary is the horse-trading where the bill's advocates are forced to set minimum and maximum standards. Will the women's groups approve that some provisions be deleted or will it be all or nothing? The process is difficult,” Sandoval lamented.

Some women and gender rights advocates are poised not to support the bill unless Congress maintains the controversial but necessary provisions on reproductive rights. One of them pointed out: “The bill is a good starting point as an inventory but as a rights bill, it is very weak and could backfire on women. While the bill outlines all these women's issues, it does not address the basic right of reproductive rights and choice, abortion and divorce. It does not put the Roman Catholic Church in its place, taking it away from determining women's rights and it gives the State too much power in deciding what women need.”

The House of Representatives has already released a committee report on the bill, which is now on its final reading. Meanwhile the Senate will subject the bill for interpellation, a chance where women and gender advocates can revive the discussions and reinsert the provisions on reproductive rights and other thorny issues. Once the Senate releases its own committee report and makes a third reading on the bill, the two houses of Congress will schedule a bicameral meeting to reconcile the House and the Senate versions of the proposed Magna Carta of Women.

A round table discussion among women human rights advocates was held to discuss and debate the issues surrounding the Magna Carta of Women in the Philippines sponsored by the Women's Education Development Productivity Research Organisation (WEDPRO) and Isis International. For more information regarding this event, you may contact Ms. Aida Santos through wedrophils1989[AT]yahoo[DOT]com