Magna Carta of Women benefits even Filipinas abroad

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Mar 8 (PIA) – The Magna Carta of Women, a landmark law of the Philippines that was passed in 2009 but was implemented in 2010, benefits even the Filipinas who are living abroad, Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 8 Director Olive Tiu said in a two hour radio program, Good Morning Philippines of the Bamboo Radyo Tacloban, March 6, 2011.

Director Tiu was invited as guest in the radio program segment on Sunday which featured International Women’s Day and National Women’s Month and the issues facing women today.

Director Tiu said that if poverty has been given a face of a woman, migration has also the face of a woman. Statistics show that more and more Filipino women are migrating for overseas employment.

In many places, women migrant workers have limited legal protections or access to information about their rights, rendering
them vulnerable to gender-specific discrimination, exploitation and abuse, the PIA 8 Director who is an advocate of women causes, added.

Director Tiu mentioned the plight of many Filipino Women overseas workers who are currently languishing in jails of different countries in the world for drug trafficking. Of the 689 Filipinos arrested for being drug couriers, 63% are women.

Director Tiu elicited the support of the media and the listeners to support the Anti-Drug Courier Campaign by educating vulnerable publics on the issue of drug couriers and to discourage them from being involved in drug trafficking.

Director Tiu cited Section 37 of the Magna Carta of Women which mandates the designation of a gender focal point in the
consular section of Philippine embassies or consulates.

The said officer, who shall be trained on
Gender and Development, shall be primarily responsible in handling gender concerns of women
migrant workers, especially those in distress. Other agencies like the Department of Labor and
Employment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, are also mandated to cooperate in
strengthening the Philippine foreign posts’ programs for the delivery of services to women migrant workers, consistent with the one-country team approach in Foreign Service.

All rights in the Philippine Constitution and those rights recognized under international instruments duly
signed and ratified by the Philippines, in consonance with Philippine laws, shall be rights of women under the
Magna Carta of Women, Director Tiu said.

These rights shall be enjoyed without discrimination, by Filipino women, whether they are in the country or outside the country as overseas workers, since the law prohibits discrimination against women, whether done by public and private entities or individuals, Director Tiu concluded. (PIA 8)