Legislators to continue fight for women’s rights

The advancement of women’s rights and causes will continue to top the list of priorities for women legislators and groups as they relentlessly pursue women empowerment in the country.

Lady Legislators of the 13th Congress president and Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar said this was the consensus during the recent Philippine Women Leaders’ Conference sponsored by the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development Foundation (PLCPD).

The conference, attended by over a hundred women from business and legislature, focused on strengthening the role of Filipino women leaders in addressing issues and concerns on population management, reproductive health and violence against women.

"I must admit that our journey to truly achieve women empowerment will be marked with highs and lows, but it is in this process that we are able to continuously refine our goals to make it more attuned to issues and pressing matters that effect Filipino women," Villar said.

The two-day activity served as a forum for ventilating the remaining challenges that impringe the full empowerment of women particularly in the country side.

It also facilitated the discussion of women poverty, unequal access to health, education and other social services, and the continued violence against women including abuses during armed conflicts.

"I salute the effort of all women’s group and women leaders in the country for their efforts in advancing the rights and causes of women. I also give credit to my colleagues at the Lower House for taking a step forward in legislating pro-women bills," Villar added.

The Women Leaders Conference was co-sponsored by the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the House and Senate committees on women chaired by Rep. Josefina Joson and Sen. Jamby Madrigal.