By Clara Rita Padilla
May 19, 2011 – “Manny Pacquiao may win his boxing bouts but he may be knocked out by the glaring realities that women and adolescent girls face in Saranggani,” said Attorney Clara Rita A. Padilla, Executive Director of EnGendeRights.
“The results of the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2008 show that children and young adults aged 15-24 who have begun childbearing exhibited a higher percentage in those who live in the rural areas, with no schooling or elementary education, belong to the poorer quintile and live in the poorest provinces in the Philippines including Saranggani. The NDHS shows 35% of children and young adults who have began childbearing come from the region of South Cotabato , Cotabato, Saranggani, and General Santos (SOCCSKSARGEN).[1] According to the 2010 UNFPA State of the World Population Report, there are 45 births per 1,000 women aged 15-19,”[2] Atty. Padilla stressed.
Atty. Padilla added, “Based on the NDHS, Saranggani has a high number of women who justify wife beating. Researchers placed questions on the justification in beating the wife, i.e., burns the food, argues with the husband, goes out without telling the husband, neglects the children, refuses to have sexual intercourse with the husband. Results show that there is a high acceptance of justification in wife beating in the regions of ARMM, SOCCSKSARGEN, Ilocos, Cagayan valley, MIMAROPA. The RH bill seeks to address the issue of gender-based violence by including the elimination of violence against women as one of the urgent concerns that must be addressed.”
“Manny and the other legislators who oppose the RH bill should be mindful of the Philippines ’ long-standing commitment to the 2000 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) where representatives of 189 nations including the Philippines adopted the MDGs. The eight goals include gender equality and empowerment of women (Goal 3), reduce child mortality (Goal 4), improve maternal health (Goal 5), and combat HIV/AIDS (Goal 6) with targets to be achieved by the year 2015. A comprehensive RH law will help the Philippines achieve these goals. As representatives of our Congress, their mandate is to immediately pass a comprehensive RH law,” concluded Atty. Padilla.
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[1] National Demographic and Health Survey 2008 [2] UNFPA State of the World Population 2010Contact Person:
Atty Clara Rita “Claire” A. Padilla
Executive Director
EnGendeRights, Inc.
Telefax: (+632) 3762578
Mobile Landline: (+632) 6645696
Mobile: (+63)918-2182682
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website: www.engenderights.org
Blog: http://clararitapadilla.blogspot.com