What do four women leaders ask from the media industry in terms of mainstreaming women’s rights and human rights? Amplify the stories of women, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized communities.
This is the core of the responses to the question posed by Manila Bulletin for the four prominent women changemakers present during the #RightsforAll: Rights for Equality forum held in Makati City on Friday, Dec. 9.
For climate justice, Ann Dumaliang, co-founder and managing trustee of the Masungi Georeserve Foundation, said the media community can take the helm in helping women environmental defenders on the ground communicate their experiences better through visuals, choice of words and other mediums.
Dumaliang said the language of climate change and nature-based solutions is admittedly challenging to translate, but the media can collaborate with conservation organizations in order to make climate-related discussions more tangible and relatable to the ordinary Filipino.
“It’s so hard to be creative sometimes, in so many words, how it could be easy to understand for an ordinary family. The media does have a power to educate with the platform it has,” she added.
Kaye Brier, a transgender journalist and the Visayan correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, admitted it is difficult to write about human rights issues, saying it takes “privilege and power” to even cover them. However, she believes that one of the roles of media is to acknowledge that these stories exist, especially stories of those living in more remote areas in the country.
“What are mostly focusing on are the stories in the metro or big cities. But there are LGBT stories in remote areas in the mountains that should not be swept under the rug and deserve proper media attention. That of our farmers, fisherfolk. These can inspire people. Their stories are worth writing for and should be heard,” Brier said.
In a media environment that presents and reflects our myriad of societal ills, Princess Jacel Kiram, the chairperson of the International Center for Peace, Reconciliation, and Development, said the media can write more positive things about the various sectors of Philippine society.
“I think the media needs to write about the goodness in every sector that we have in the Philippines to inspire. in the agriculture sector, we have a negative perception . But when you dig deeper, what we are facing today, farmers are very important for food security and yet, seldom do we find write-ups about them that encourage the youth to become farmers,” Kiram stressed.
As the media covers crime stories and police operations involving online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and violence against women (VAW), Lt. Col. Mary Grace Madayag, the chief of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division of Women and Children Protection Section of the Philippine National Police (PNP), asks the media to uplift instead of degrade Filipino women.
Madayag shared in the forum her encounters with Filipino women who have been arrested for OSAEC operations.
She noted many of these female suspects are separated wives and mothers who have been subjected to domestic violence and online sexual exploitation by foreign clients.
Because the women are disempowered, some uneducated and lack socio-economic resources, they risk dubious online chats and operations to gain financial support.
“Nagiging vulnerable muna ang babae, ang nanay, bago ang anak (The woman, mother becomes vulnerable first before the child),” Madayag said.
“Huwag natin pasamain ang mga kababaihan ng Pilipinas. Ang branding pag nakapagrescue kami, ang title “Filipino women are selling their children online in exchange of money.” Diba mas maganda “Australian pedophiles are victimizing women and children in the Philippines. Dapat ganoon (Let’s not further frame our Filipino women in a bad light or demonize them. The media’s branding when covering our rescue operations have article titles reading ‘Filipino women are selling their children online in exchange of money.’ Isn’t it better to read ‘Australian pedophiles are victimizing women and children in the Philippines.’ That’s how it should be),” she stressed.
“From the local media, it gets picked up by international media. It goes viral in the internet. Once you go abroad, Filipino women are perceived negatively,” she added.
Empowerment, community, equal access
The #RightsforAll: Rights for Equality forum on women’s rights and human rights gathered women leaders and guests to share their knowledge and experiences in the fields of climate justice, LGBTQ+ issues, peace and reconciliation, and women and law enforcement, in support of the 18-day nationwide VAW campaign from Nov. 25 to Dec. 12.
Among the consistent themes of these women’s stories were the importance and necessity of women empowerment, the value of community and solidarity, as well as how equal access to resources and opportunities are keys to advancing women’s rights.
“We just need to have forums, programs to let them know, let them appreciate the inherent powers within us. Women as leaders, I think, have this inherent power that we are nurturers by nature, we connect and understand more. That’s the power that if only all women will learn, then we will contribute great things for the Philippines,” said Kiram.
“We should start taking up our space because its not about how they perceive you. It’s about who you are and what you are capable of doing. Opportunities should not be gendered, but based on their capacity,” Brier said.
Socio-economic empowerment and education is vital to protect women’s rights and resolve the issue of OSAEC, said Madayag.
“Let’s teach them how to study and work hard in order to be self-reliant. They need to learn skills for their livelihood. If they become separated from their spouse or a problem arises in their families, the children can still grow up in a good environment,” she said.
Women have occupied so many spaces in various fields. The speakers shared the growing number of women in conservation work, members of political offices, and leaders involved in the peace processes in Mindanao.
Women bring a unique position to respond to challenges, notably in conflict reduction and peace building.
“When women are there to engage everywhere in natural resource establishment, and establish common ground, conflict and violence is reduced at the frontlines,” Dumaliang said.
All in all, the speakers called for a holistic approach in discussing or handling women’s rights and human rights.
“It is right to consider that the human rights battle should not be considered a stand-alone issue. Recognize that these struggles are rooted in the kind of culture and system of our country, and the culture of patriarchy in the society,” said Brier.
“It takes a community to topple down so we can really forward the genuine interest of the country. We need to find common ground and unity in these advocacies,” she added.
The event was organized by SPARK Philippines in partnership with the United States Embassy, the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia, and the Ateneo Human Rights Center.
US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson gave her opening remarks, and Makati City Mayor Abby Binay served as the event's keynote speaker.
Former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Karen Lucia Gomez-Dumpit served as the panel's moderator, while Mayen Juico, a former Quezon City Councilor and author of the gender-responsive ordinances in QC, synthesized the discussion. The closing remarks were given by SPARK Philippines President Imelda Nicolas.
The event was held at the Ateneo Law School in Rockwell Center, Makati City.