Rep. Ruiz bill punishes women's discrimination in hospitals, clinics

Cebu sixth district Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz has sponsored a bill seeking to penalize gender-based discrimination, inequity and inequality in the policies, programs, activities and services of all care institutions, and hospitals.

The bill, known as the "Empowerment of Women in Vulnerable Situations Act of 2005", will make a crime any willful verbal, physical, emotional or psychological violations of women's dignity in institutions of care by service providers and custodians.

It also sets the standards for gender-responsive care to empower women in vulnerable situations, and the penalties for violators such as a maximum fine of P100,000 and imprisonment of six years.

Ruiz said women are more exposed to indifference, mistreatment or abuse committed by some service providers.

She said abusive hospital personnel's insensitivity and failure to respond to specific needs of women who have been treated as patients of lesser importance.

In most health and welfare agencies, the personnel seldom appreciate and consider the impact on women conditions, such as pregnancy and childbirth, burden of childcare and fears of sexual violence, among others.

Ruiz cited an estimated 300,000 women have been at risk of maternal deaths yearly. "Yet these are consistently absent in health statistics, leading to the neglect of this life-threatening conditions for women," she said.

During the hearing at the House committee on women last March 29, Dr. Junice Melgar, executive director of Likhaan (Linangan ng Kababihan, Inc.) said that incidents of women discrimination are high in orphanages, shelters for unwed mothers, prison or detention centers for the aged, and in refugee centers.

Women Health Philippines national coordinator Ana Marie Nemenzo also said her group's studies showed that the discriminatory attitude of clinic personnel is the main reason why women are hesitant to go to these health care clinics even if these are located near their homes. - Cristina C. Birondo