Senate celebrates women’s contributions in battle against Covid-19

The Senate on Monday, International Women’s Day, adopted a resolution to commemorate the occasion and the role of women in nation building and to celebrate women’s indispensable contributions to the Filipino home and in the workforce, particularly in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Senate Resolution 673, sponsored by Senator Joel Villanueva, stressed that this year’s celebration of International Women’s Day with the theme “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world,” celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the pandemic.

“While recognizing that across the world women are facing increased domestic violence, unpaid care duties, unemployment and poverty, and despite women making up a majority of front-line workers, there is disproportionate and inadequate representation of women in national and global COVID-19 policy spaces,” the resolution read in part.

Also according to the resolution, “In order to uphold women’s rights and fully leverage the potential of women’s leadership in pandemic preparedness and response, this year’s celebration also recognizes that the perspectives of women and girls in all of their diversity must be integrated in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes in all spheres and at all stages of pandemic response and recovery.”

The resolution also cited that “the Philippines has always recognized the role of women in nation-building and the need to ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men, as enshrined in Article II, Section 14 of the Constitution.”

“Pursuant to this state policy, Republic Act 9710, or the Magna Carta for Women, tasked the Philippine Commission on Women to act as a catalyst for gender mainstreaming, as well as the authority on women’s concerns and lead advocate of women’s empowerment, gender equity, and gender equality,” the resolution said.