HUMAN RIGHTS APPROACH

- A human rights-based approach is derived from international and domestic human rights obligations and is

used to promote and protect human rights in policy and program development. At the heart of a human

rights-based approach is the recognition that inequality and marginalization deny people their human rights

and often keep them in poverty.

- A human rights-based approach seeks to analyze inequalities and redress discriminatory practices. It

empowers the most marginalized communities by supporting their participation and inclusion in program

or policy development and strengthens the capacity of government policy and decision makers to respect,

protect and fulfill their legal human rights obligations.

- It ensures that program or policy development, implementation, management, and ongoing monitoring

consider human rights principles and goals including equality and non-discrimination, participation of

impacted groups, and oversight and accountability.

Protection Against Gender-Based Violence

Gender-based violence is an umbrella term that refers to harmful acts directed at a person based on their gender.

Types of gender-based violence can include sexual, physical, psychological, and economic harm inflicted in public or

private. Other gender-based violence examples include threats of violence, coercion, and manipulation. Gender-based

violence can happen to anyone. However, it disproportionately affects women and girls. Those in crisis settings are at a

double disadvantage due to their gender and their situation.

Gender-based violence can take various forms:

 Physical: it results in injuries, distress and health problems, and may even lead to death in certain cases. Typical

forms of physical violence are beating, strangling, pushing, and the use of weapons. Around 50 million women

aged 18-74 in the Europe Union, or 31%, experienced physical (including threats) or sexual violence in

adulthood, based on the EU gender-based violence survey (wave 2021).

- Violence by intimate partners: Most violence against women is committed by current or former husbands

or intimate partners. More than 640 million women aged 15 and older (26 per cent) have been subjected to

intimate partner violence. (UN WOMEN, 2024)

- In 2022, around 48,800 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family

members. This means that, on average, more than five women or girls are killed every hour by someone in

their own family. (UN WOMEN, 2024)

- While 55 per cent of all female homicides (femicides) are committed by intimate partners or other family

members, only 12 per cent of all male homicides are perpetrated in the private sphere. (UN WOMEN,

2024)
  Sexual: it includes unconsented sexual acts, attempts to obtain a sexual act, acts to traffic, or acts otherwise

directed against a person’s sexuality without the person’s consent. In the EU, 17.2% of women have experienced

sexual violence by any perpetrator in their lifetime.

- Adolescent girls at risk of sexual violence: Around 15 million adolescent girls worldwide, aged 15–19

years, have experienced forced sex. In the vast majority of countries, adolescent girls are most at risk of

forced sex (forced sexual intercourse or other sexual acts) by a current or former husband, partner, or

boyfriend. Based on data from 30 countries, only one per cent have ever sought professional help. (UN

WOMEN, 2024)

 Psychological: includes psychologically abusive behaviours, such as controlling, coercion, economic violence

and blackmail. An estimated 29.9% of women in the EU experienced psychological violence perpetrated by an

intimate partner.

With nearly 35% of women globally experiencing abuse in their lifetimes, violence against women is the most

pervasive human rights violation on the planet.

Global scale of violence against women: An estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—have been

subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their

life (30 per cent of women aged 15 and older). (UN WOMEN, 2024)

Humanitarian crises and emergencies significantly worsen gender-based violence (GBV), with 70% of women

experiencing GBV in these contexts compared to 35% globally. This means crisis settings are places where women and

girls are especially vulnerable to all forms of violence. (Note: Humanitarian contexts, including armed conflict, natural

disasters, and other crises, are associated with a marked increase in gender-based violence.) (UN WOMEN, 2024)

The impact of gender-based violence knows no economic or social boundaries, creating a ripple effect throughout

society. This can lead women to suffer in isolation, unable to work and earn a wage, participate in their communities, and

care for themselves and their children. In turn, growing up around violence can negatively impact children’s emotional

and behavioral health, and perpetuate cycles of violence.

Preventing gender-based violence

 Keep girls in school - Keeping girls in school, and ensuring equal educational opportunities, is crucial in

preventing gender-biased outcomes because it empowers girls, challenges societal norms, and promotes a more

equitable society where all individuals can reach their full potential.

 Empowering Women Economically - helps prevent gender-based violence by increasing their financial

independence, reducing their vulnerability, and enabling them to make choices about their lives and bodies,

ultimately leading to greater equality and safety.

and empowerment, allowing them to feel safe and build resilience without fear of harm or judgment

 Including women in decision-making at leadership level - Including women in decision-making at leadership

levels prevents gender-based discrimination and violence by ensuring diverse perspectives are considered,

promoting more inclusive policies, and challenging gender stereotypes, ultimately fostering a more equitable and

just society.

The following are among the many documents advocating gender equality and human development:

 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is “a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all

nations”. The Declaration outlines 30 rights and freedoms that belong to all of us and that nobody can take away

from us.

- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a foundational document establishing universal

human rights, and it explicitly states that all humans are "born free and equal in dignity and rights,"

encompassing women's rights as fundamental and inalienable.

 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

- CEDAW, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, is an

international treaty that defines discrimination against women and obligates states to eliminate it, ensuring

women enjoy equal human rights and freedoms.

 the Beijing Platform for Action

- The Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), adopted in 1995, is a landmark document outlining a roadmap for

achieving gender equality and empowering women worldwide, and is considered the international "bill of

rights" for women, framing women's rights as fundamental human rights.

 Millennium Development Goals

- The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly MDG 3 focused on gender equality, recognized

the importance of women's rights in global development and aimed to achieve gender equality and

empower women, seeing it as fundamental to broader development outcomes.

 Sustainable Development Goals

- The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals adopted by the UN in 2015 aiming to

achieve a sustainable future by 2030, and these goals are deeply intertwined with women's human rights,

particularly through Goal 5, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and

girls.
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES FOR WOMEN’S PROTECTION

In the Philippines, international treaties for women's protection have been instrumental in shaping national laws

and policies to promote gender equality and safeguard women's rights. The Philippine government has ratified several key

international treaties and integrated their principles into domestic legislation.

Key International Treaties Ratified by the Philippines:

1. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

o Ratified in 1981, CEDAW serves as the foundation for gender equality efforts in the Philippines. It

obligates the government to eliminate discrimination against women in all spheres, including education,

employment, and political participation.

2. Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

o The Philippines actively participated in the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women and has since

implemented policies aligned with the Beijing Platform's 12 critical areas of concern, such as women's

health, economic empowerment, and violence against women.

3. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child

Prostitution, and Child Pornography

o While primarily focused on children, these treaties also address issues affecting girls, such as trafficking

and sexual exploitation.

4. International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions

o The Philippines has ratified ILO conventions addressing gender equality in the workplace, such

as Convention No. 100 (Equal Remuneration) and Convention No. 111 (Discrimination in Employment

and Occupation).

Domestic Laws and Policies Influenced by These Treaties:

1. Magna Carta of Women (Republic Act No. 9710)

o Enacted in 2009, this comprehensive law aligns with CEDAW and other international treaties. It ensures

the rights of women, particularly marginalized groups, and mandates non-discrimination in all aspects of

life, including education, employment, and health.

2. Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (Republic Act No. 9262)
 o Passed in 2004, this law provides legal protection for women and children against physical, sexual,

psychological, and economic abuse.

3. Anti-Rape Law of 1997 (Republic Act No. 8353)

o This law redefines rape as a crime against persons, expanding its scope to include marital rape and

providing stronger protections for victims.

4. Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (Republic Act No. 9208, amended by RA 10364)

o This law criminalizes human trafficking, including the trafficking of women and girls for sexual

exploitation and forced labor.

5. Expanded Maternity Leave Law (Republic Act No. 11210)

o Enacted in 2019, this law grants 105 days of paid maternity leave to support working mothers, aligning

with international standards for women's health and economic rights.

Challenges and Progress:

While the Philippines has made significant strides in implementing international treaties for women's protection,

challenges remain, such as:

 Persistent gender-based violence and cultural barriers.

 Limited access to justice for marginalized women.

 Gaps in the implementation of laws at the local level.

The Philippines continues to work with international organizations, civil society, and local communities to address these

issues and uphold its commitments to women's rights and gender equality.
EVE AND THE OTHER

The passage is an expression of the low perception of the men of the Church on women. Others see women as the

consorts of the devil, the beguiler of men, and the potential cause of every human misery by offending the holy with their

impurities. It is unknown as the Eve and Pandora were the first expressions of the distrust of women, but they certainly

embody this disdain for the deceitful, dangerous, and flighty character of women. In these stories, there appears to be a

pervasive belief about women rooted in the foundational civilizations. People are inclined to believe that women are

dangerous and must be controlled if not suppressed. This belief is especially true of their sexuality. In numerous and

significant instances, women have been referred to as the sex that seduces man and makes him lose his orientation toward

the true good-which is the eternal life beyond the flesh.

Thus, the vicious suppression of women in many of the world's cultures can be explained. Religion is one major

aspect that contributed to this suppression as evident in the negative traits attributed to women in many religious texts. A

number of influential works of world literature also contain references to the beguiling beauty of women that distracts

men from their good reason and their true work.

The Fear Theory explains that throughout history, some societies and cultures have treated women unfairly

because they were afraid of women’s power, intelligence, or independence. Instead of understanding and respecting

women, they created rules, stereotypes, and systems to control them.

Here’s how it works:

1. Fear of Women’s Power:

o Women have unique strengths, like the ability to give birth, nurture, and lead. Some people in the past

(and even today) felt threatened by these abilities because they didn’t fully understand them.

o For example, in some cultures, women were seen as "mysterious" or "dangerous" because of their ability

to create life, which made some people afraid and led to unfair treatment.

2. Fear of Women’s Independence:

o When women wanted to make their own choices, speak up, or take on leadership roles, some people felt

scared because it challenged the way things had always been done.

o For example, in the past, women weren’t allowed to vote or own property because some people feared

that giving them rights would upset the balance of power.

3. Fear of Women’s Sexuality:

men. This fear led to strict rules about how women should dress, behave, or interact with men.

o For example, in some religions or cultures, women were blamed for men’s mistakes (like the story of Eve

in the Bible), even though it wasn’t fair.

4. Fear of Change:

o People often fear what they don’t understand or what’s different. Women challenging traditional roles

(like being leaders, scientists, or warriors) made some people uncomfortable because it was a big change

from what they were used to.

o This fear of change led to resistance and unfair treatment of women.

Why Does This Matter?

The Fear Theory helps us understand why women were often treated unfairly in the past (and sometimes still

today). It wasn’t because women were actually dangerous or less capable—it was because some people were afraid of

their power, independence, and ability to change things.

Today, many people are working to overcome these fears and treat women equally, but understanding the Fear

Theory helps us see why these unfair attitudes existed in the first place. It’s a reminder to question our fears and treat

everyone with respect and fairness.