An independent OCAD, Office of the Court Administrator, was
originally slated to be the featured article for this month. We have to
postpone that for next month in order to feature this important article on
Women Empowerment which is also a Key Factor for Judicial Reform particularly
in the area of Upholding Human Rights and Gender Equality. Gender Sensitivity
and Responsiveness has been in the forefront of our advocacy in transforming
the justice system.
We join the campaign to END VAW (Violence Against Women)
every November 25 until December 12 of each year. Statistics show that
incidents of VAW continue to rise despite the effort to put an end to such
violation of human rights during the past decades. It is sad to note that many
people including Law Enforcers and political leaders assert that Domestic
Violence is still a private matter despite the clear provision of Republic Act
9262, the Anti Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, that VAW
is a public crime.
The Transformative Justice Institute (TJI) and ACCCTTS
Center along with the IGDD, Integrated Gender and Development Division of the Davao City
government, the WOMYNET, the MOVE Davao, Men Opposed to Violence on Women, Men
and Children Everywhere, the APILA, Ateneo Public Interest Legal Advocacy and
ADDU, Ateneo de Davao University, launched the program on Women In Power and
Decision Making last November 18 and 19, 2014 thru a two day Seminar of the same
title: “Women In Power and Decision Making.”
This is part of our contribution to the Philippine
government’s commitment to the Beijing Twelve Platform for Action for Women
which will be on its 20th year next year.
Also as part of our continuing informal consultations and
dialogues, which the Transformative Justice Institute (TJI) is conducting every
opportunity that there is, with various groups of lawyers, judges, court users,
stakeholders, academicians, members of CSOs, Civil Society Organizations,
including political leaders; there is a consensus building regarding the need to amend
the Philippine Constitution thru a Constitutional Convention that should be
held after the 2016 elections.
The various groups that we work with, have integrated into
the respective programs of our and their organizations, the two important areas of concerns mentioned above, by first, helping
implement the Beijing Twelve Platform for Action on Women, particularly the
program on Women In Power and Decision Making and second, by proposing
amendments to the Constitution. We are preparing ahead, so we need to talk big-time now, in order to prepare a well
deliberated agenda that we can propose once there is a Charter Change thru a
Constitutional Convention.
Beijing Platform for Action on Women will be on its 20th year in 2015
yet despite the Philippine government’s commitment for its implementation along
with our 33 year old commitment to the UNCEDAW, United Nations Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the 66 year
old Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we continue to see the Human Rights
Violations of Women and Girl-Children at their homes, schools, workplaces and
the communities.
Institutions tasked in administering justice to put an end
to the sufferings of many women and girl-children continue to fail in its task in
ensuring to end VAWC, Violence Against Women and Children. Those institutions
that continue to fail in the proper administration of justice for cases on
women and children include all levels of our judiciary.
On November 18 and 19, 2014, Women Leaders, including the
very vocal and articulate IP Women or Lumads from the Five (5) IP, Indigenous
Peoples, of Davao City converged at the newly built and beautiful Community
Center of the Ateneo de Davao University. The discussion centered on Women In
Power and Decision Making, which is part of the Twelve Platform for Action.
The Women all agreed to pursue the program which we
believe, will be a key factor in
countering and slaying the intertwining
culture of corruption, patriarchy and impunity in our justice system.
We are calling the program, EGGGGG, Effective Good
Governance for God’s Greater Glory.
We all agreed along with the Muslim women, who were nodding
in approval as I proposed the concept, to use the teachings of Jesus Christ in
our advocacies. The Muslims consider Jesus a prophet. The two greatest
commandments of Jesus saying, “Love God with all your hearts, with all your
minds, with all your strengths and with all your souls” and “Love your neighbor
as yourselves” will be popularized.
We will also advocate to popularize Christ’s teachings about
choosing whom to serve as we cannot serve both God and money at the same time.
We have to gather treasures in heaven which rust, moth or vermin cannot destroy
unlike treasures on earth which can be destroyed. After all Jesus said, “What
would it profit persons if they gain the whole world but lose their souls?”
I encouraged the women not to be afraid to speak out against
anything that violates Human Rights, Gender Equality and the Rule of Law as
Jesus said “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but be afraid of those
who kill both the body and soul.”
In our commitment to END VAW, we do not like to just embark
on short term programs or campaigns that do not effectively impact in upholding
human rights, gender equality and the rule of law. Twenty years is too long for
us to achieve what we have long been aspiring for as articulated in the Beijing
Platform for Action.
I stressed in my keynote speech that 33 years of commitment
to CEDAW and 66 years of commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights are longer. The same covenants
are even older that most of us. So we can no longer remain complacent. We have
to take stronger and more aggressive and purposive actions to achieve what we
want.
The Women agreed to actively participate and work
purposively by using the 5% GAD, Gender and Development Budget in the Barangays
and the Local Government. We have agreed that the women will undergo trainings
and will be actively, involved and become participants in the following areas:
1.
Budgeting. Graft and corruption being the
biggest issue in government must be addressed by the women thru effective
participation in decision making.
I told the women leaders from the Barangays that I also challenge women
who belong to the rank and file and the supervisory positions from NGAs,
National Government Agencies and GOCCs, Government Owned and Controlled
Corporations, to be empowered and become watchdogs in the use of government
funds.
Women from both the national and local levels can make sure that the taxpayers’ money are
properly utilized.
The many laws and institutions that are designed to eradicate graft and
corruption are not effective. There is much hope for change when women will
take action in budgeting and proper use of government resources.
2.
Well being, Safety and Security is another
important concern that women shall be engaging in. The same cannot be left
alone to the men in the community. Women will also undergo capability and
capacity building in this arena using part of the GAD Budget.
3.
Crime Prevention is an arena where women should
be involved in especially because there is now a tremendous rise of all forms
of criminalities in various localities and communities in all places in the
Philippines.
The women in Davao city indicated
during the Workshop that the incidents of drug trafficking, robbery like “akyat
bahay”, theft and other forms of criminalities are also high in Davao city.
Everyone agreed that salvaging or summary executions is not the right response
to solve criminalities since the same further contribute to the breakdown of
law and order.
The women agreed to assert that the Law Enforcement arm of the
government, particularly the police force should shape up and perform their
jobs well in order for genuine peace and order to happen in the communities.
4.
Restorative Justice will be one of the 5 areas
where women will participate so that the barangays can properly implement
programs on Diversion as provided for by law, in order to help prevent cases
involving CICL, Children In Conflict With Laws, from going to courts. This would
greatly help in decongesting the courts’ dockets apart from instilling the good
values to community members to talk over their conflicts and resolve the same
peacefully. Thru such program, the CICL can be properly disciplined, corrected
and rehabilitated thru community service. Here the women should take the lead
in implementing Republic Act 9344, the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act of 2006.
5.
Justice and Healing is proven to be an effective
approach in solving cases of Domestic Violence on cases involving Psychological
and Economic Abuses. In Davao City we have trained as of last year Ten Justice
and Healing Teams (J and H Teams) composed of thirty people, with three people
in each Justice and Healing Team.
During the dialogue and feed backing we had at the ACCCTTS Center last
November 13, 2014, those trained as part of the J an H Teams last year shared
beautiful stories where they were able to employ and apply their knowledge on
Justice and Healing that helped cases on Domestic Violence.
It was agreed that many more J and H Teams will be trained next year and
an Advance Training shall also be conducted before the end of 2015.
Again, this effort on Justice and Healing shall greatly contribute in the
much needed decongestion of courts’ dockets apart from a more effective and
sustainable approach in delivering Justice and Healing to the communities.
It is my hope that the rest of the country
will also carry out this program that the people in Davao City have started. I
intend to propose the same to the Philippine Commission on Women where I sit as
a Commissioner.
Apostle Paul in Galatians 6 verses 1 and 2
said:
“Brothers and Sisters, if anyone is caught in
any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore them in a spirit of
gentleness. Keep watch on yourselves, lest you too be tempted. Bear one
another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Dory Cruz Avisado
11-28-14
