Session4:Strategicapproaches:Optiontoaddressgenderdimensionsoffood andnutritionsecurity EmmelineLVerzosa,PCWontheMagnaCartaofWomen ProcessofPassageintoLaw IttookabouteightyearsbeforethebicameralPhilippineCongressfinallypassed theMagnaCartaofWomenin2009.ThePhilippineCommissiononWomen,the nationalwomensmachinery,tookitonasaprioritybilltoadvocateforsinceit wasthenationaltranslationofCEDAW.TheCEDAWCommittee,inits concludingrecommendationstoour5thand6threportaskedforanorganiclaw totranslatethewomensrightstreaty. Therewereanumberofbillsfiled,suchastheMagnaCartaforWomenandthe MagnaCartaforRuralWomen.

men.Theversionswereeventuallyconsolidatedinto theMagnaCartaOFWomentoshowthatitwasthecollectiveeffortof governmentagenciesandcivilsocietygroupssuchasruralwomensgroups composedofpeasantsandfishers,indigenouswomen,Bangsamorowomen, womenintheinformalsectoraswellasbroadbasedwomensorganizationsand theacademewhoactivelylobbiedforitandthuslaidclaimonitorownit. WithsupporttogovernmentandNGOsfromUNWomen(thenUNIFEM)CEDAW SouthEastAsianProject,severalconsultationsanddialogueswereconducted nationwidewithvariousstakeholdersuntilthelegislatorsfinallysawits importance. HavingthispassedinapredominantlymaleCongresswasnoteasy.Themen wouldoftenquestiontheneedforaspeciallawforwomen.Thewomen legislatorswhothencomprisedlessthan20%activelysupportedit.Ittooka confluenceofeventsfromvariousstakeholders,includingcertificationfromthe OfficeofthePresidentasurgent,thatledtoitsfinalpassage. Thefinalversionthusincludessectionsonrightsandempowerment,including protectionfromviolence;womenaffectedbydisasters,calamitiesandother crisissituations;participationandrepresentation;equalaccessandelimination ofdiscriminationineducation,scholarshipandtraining;womensrighttohealth; sports,military,andothers.Italsoincludesacomprehensivechapteronrights andempowermentofmarginalizedsectorswithsectionsonfoodsecurityand productiveresources;righttolivelihood,credit,capitalandtechnology; socialprotection;peaceanddevelopment;amongothers.Alastchapteron institutionalmechanismsspellsoutthegendermainstreamingstrategy mandatingallgovernmentagenciestofulfilltheirdutytoimplementthelaw throughgenderanalysis,planningandbudgetingoftheirpoliciesandprograms. Ouroffice,togetherwiththeCommissiononHumanRights(ournatonalhuman rightsinstitutiondesignatedastheGenderOmbud)istaskedtomonitorits implementation.

PossibleImpactsthatcouldbeattributedtogainsonwomensrightsand foodsecurityandRecommendations Focusingonthesectiononfoodsecurityandproductiveresources,thelaw saysthat,TheStaterecognizesthecontributionofwomentofoodproduction andshallensuresustainabilityandsufficiency,includinginthecontextof climatechangeTheStateshallguarantee,atalltimes,theavailabilityinthe marketofsafeandhealthgivingfoodtosatisfythedietaryneedsofthe population,givingparticularattentiontothespecificneedsofpoorgirlchildren andmarginalizedwomen,especiallypregnantandlactatingmothersandtheir youngchildren. Underrighttofood,theStateshallguaranteetheavailabilityoffood, acceptabilityandsafety(inquantityandqualitysufficienttosatisfythe dietaryneedsofindividuals,thephysicalandeconomicaccessibilityfor everyonetoadequatefoodthatisculturallyacceptableandfreefromunsafe substances..andtheaccurateandsubstantialinformationtotheavailabilityof food,includingtherighttofull,accurateandtruthfulinformationaboutsafeand healthgivingfoodsandhowtoproduceandhaveregulareasyaccesstothem.) Underrighttoresourcesforfoodproductionwomenareguaranteedrightto land,creditandinfrastructuresupport,technicaltraining,andtechnologicaland marketingassistance.TheStateisalsocalledupontopromotewomenfriendly technologyandprovideinformationonresources.Equalstatusandtreatment shouldbegiveninlandtitlingandissuanceofstewardshipcontractsand patents;agrarianreformprograms;enjoyment,useandmanagementofland, waterandothernaturalresourceswithintheirancestraldomains(for indigenouscommunities),fisheriesandaquaticresources;deputizationasfish wardens;accesstosmallfarmerbasedandcontrolledseedsproductionand distribution;membershipinfarmersorganizations.Italsomentionsthat indigenouspracticesofwomeninseedstorageandcultivationshallbe recognized,encouragedandprotected. Inorderofalltheserightstobefulfilled,theimplementingrulesandregulations mandatesspecificgovernmentagenciessuchasthedepartments(ministries)of agriculture,agrarianreform,environmentandnaturalresources,tradeand industry,labor,,energy,foodanddrugadministration,tourism,publicworks andhighways(forfarmtomarketroads);scienceandtechnology,thetechnical educationandskillsdevelopmentauthorityandstateuniversitiesandcolleges (fortrainingandtechnologytransfer). IntheWomensEmpowerment,DevelopmentandGenderEqualityPlan,2013 2016whichisabouttobelaunchedinafewmonths,indicatorsandtargetsare setinordertomonitortheimplementationoftheprovisionsofthelaw.This planwasaresultofseveralplanningconsultationswithgovernmentandcivil societygroups.Thus,eventhecivilsocietygroupswillbeengagingwith governmentinmonitoringitsimplementation.

ConcreteActionsforGovernmentonGenderMainstreaminginfood securityandpovertyreductioninterventions Inallactions,practiceparticipatorygovernance.ThecurrentAquino Administrationputsthisasabasicprinciple.Stakeholders,especiallythe marginalizedsectorsmustbeconsultedandinvolvedifwearetoactualizewhat wetoutasinclusivegrowth.NGOsandcivilsocietymustactivelyengagewith governmentinaconstructivewaytocriticallycollaborateonissuesandeven providethenecessarytechnicalassistanceandperspectivesfromreallivestories fromtheground. GovernmentsasStatePartiestoseveralinternationalcommitmentsmustfulfill theirobligationsandduties.Departmentsandministriesmuststrivetowork togetherinconvergentstrategies,ratherthanworkinginsilos,inordertohave betterimpactonthelivesofclientsandthepeopletheyserve. WehaveaconcreteexampleofapilotprojectwecalltheGREATWomenproject whichaimedtoenhancetheenablingenvironmentatthenationalandlocal governmentlevelforwomenseconomicempowerment.Bringingtogether agenciesworkingonmicroenterprisedevelopmentatthemunicipalleveland alsoinvolvingtheprivatesectorlikeasocialenterprisegroupbroughtabout concreteresults.Womensproductswereupscaledwithsuggestedvariantsfor bettermarketability,theyweresustainable(environmentfriendlyandensuring thatresourcesarenotdepleted),safe(throughlessonsongoodmanufacturing practices).Womenalsohadsocialprotectionthroughenrolmentinthenational healthinsurancesystem. Womenstestimonialsrevealedthatwiththeiradditionalincome,theirhusbands respectedthemmore;theywerenolongerbeatenup;shecouldprovideforfood forherfamily,healthandeducationforherchildren.Somewomenfeltgoodthey werebeingconsultedandthattheycouldparticipateinthelocaleconomic developmentplanningofhermunicipality.Womensselfesteemwasboosted andtheyhadavoice! .