With Magna Carta of Women, pregnancy not a cause for expulsion anymore

MANILA, Philippines—Pregnancy outside of marriage may not be used as a reason to expel or refuse teachers and students from school with the passage of the Magna Carta of Women, Senator Pia Cayetano pointed out Sunday.

Cayetano, principal sponsor of Republic Act 9710, said the new policy is contained in Section 13 (“Equal Access and Elimination of Discrimination in Education, Scholarships and Training”).

“Section 13 (c) Expulsion and non-readmission of women faculty due to pregnancy outside of marriage shall be outlawed. No school shall turn out or refuse admission to a female student solely on the account of her having contracted pregnancy outside of marriage during her term in school.”

The practice has been discriminatory against women because the rule does not apply to male teachers or students, Cayetano said.

“It’s time we rectify the wrongs committed against our women. We cannot allow the vestiges of our chauvinist past to continue to rule over us. We hope to specifically address these issues with the passage of the Magna Carta of Women,” said the president of the Committee of Women Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

She said that while several laws have been passed to address different women’s issues like the Anti-Trafficking Law (RA 9208) and Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act (RA 9262), the Magna Carta of Women is the first national law to define the human rights of women and the various acts of discrimination against them as enshrined under Cedaw (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women).

“This law is long overdue actually, because it has been almost three decades since our country ratified CEDAW,” added Cayetano, noting that the treaty was signed by the Philippines on July 17, 1980, and ratified by the Senate on July 19, 1981.

RA 9710 recognizes the right of women to health (Section 17), including access to maternal care and comprehensive health services, and information on breastfeeding and family planning methods.

The new law will also grant a special leave benefit of two months with pay for women employees following surgery caused by gynecological disorders. This is on top of the two-month maternity leave that female employees can avail of upon giving birth.

The Magna Carta of Women likewise recognizes the specific circumstances of women in sports (Section 14); the military (Section 15); those belonging to marginalized sectors including women in especially difficult circumstances (Section 30, includes victims of sexual and physical abuse, trafficking, prostitution and armed conflict, etc.), girl-children (Section 32) and women senior citizens (Section 33). –INQUIRER.net