The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) calls for gender equality and women empowerment as the government rolls out its vaccination and other recovery plans this year to combat the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The CHR’s call was aired by Commissioner Karen Gomez Dumpit, the Focal Commissioner for Gender and Women's Rights, as the country observes the 2021 Women's Month with the theme: "Women Can: Courage and Leadership for Gender Equality in a COVID-19 World."
"As we celebrate Women's Month, the Commission calls for gender justice in the government’s COVID-19 recovery plan, including vaccine rollouts. We remind the government to ensure that measures are adopted to assure that women and girls and sectors facing multiple vulnerabilities are prioritized," Dumpit said.
She pointed out that many urban poor and rural women continue to struggle with hunger and unemployment, so they need government support to food security and economic justice.
At the same time, she said the CHR sought enhanced access to justice and the elimination of all forms of violence against women.
"We call out all forms of red-tagging, silencing of women’s organizations and women leaders, and other acts that limit the women's political participation," she stressed.
Despite what Dumpit called as worsening struggles of women, the CHR paid tribute to women and girls who demonstrate courage and leadership against human rights violations.
“These women human rights defenders bravely called out the government and demanded accountability for rights transgressions, resisted impunity and misogyny, and fought against systemic barriers to gender equality,” she said.
The CHR, under Republic Act No. 9710 – the Magna Carta of Women -- has been tasked to advocate the promotion and protection of women's human rights.