Lawmakers in the Philippine capital are considering legislation that would protect women’s rights and prevent men from abusing their power.
The legislation was proposed by Senator Francis Aquino III and was approved by the National Commission on Women on Tuesday.
It was also adopted by the Senate.
Women’s rights groups called the bill a first step toward equality for women in a country where women account for less than 1% of the population.
They are concerned that the proposed legislation would create an environment where men are free to abuse their power in the name of equality.
“This is the first step towards women’s equality,” says Elizabeth Bailes, president of the Center for Women and Law, an organization that advocates for women’s civil and political rights.
“The Philippine government needs to do more to protect women and girls and to respect their rights.
They need to put women’s interests first.”
The bill, if passed, would allow women to file civil cases in civil courts and to sue their husbands for abuse.
But it would also require courts to consider whether men abuse their authority by abusing their rights to control women.
“We will continue to fight to protect our women from abuse and exploitation,” Aquino said.
“It’s not about me, it’s not just about me.
It’s about us.”
The proposed legislation is the latest in a series of initiatives the Aquino administration has taken in the past few years aimed at advancing women’s social and economic rights.
These efforts include implementing the National Program for Women’s Education (NPWE) to increase female participation in the labor force, supporting more women in politics and providing free healthcare for women and children.
Aquino has also launched the National Family Protection Program to support the protection of children against abusive parents and to promote better sexual and reproductive health.
The Philippines is one of the few countries in the world that has no statutory or constitutional protections for women, including protections for child custody.
The government has also increased the penalties for domestic violence against women, introduced an anti-domestic violence law and expanded the number of women who can be charged under the Dangerous Drugs Act.
The proposed Philippine bill would not affect existing laws protecting women, but it would require the government to revise them to comply with the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
“There’s no law that says that women can’t have equal rights.
But there are laws that say that they can’t be abused,” says Bailys lawyer, Marcela Marrero.
“What we need is for them to give the legislation that we have a right to have,” she says.
Aquido has already announced that the legislation would allow Filipinos to file lawsuits in civil court.
But many Filipinos are concerned about the bill’s effect on their rights and say they would like to see the government make it clear that it would protect all Filipinos from abuse.
“I am not in favor of legislation that creates a legal vacuum where women are being violated.
We can only have justice when there’s a law that protects all Filipino people,” says Marrero, who works in Manila as a legal aid lawyer.
“They should be given the right to fight and be protected.” “
These cases are very important for women,” she adds.
“They should be given the right to fight and be protected.”
In addition to the proposed legislative change, Aquino is also considering legislation to expand the number and scope of court hearings for domestic abuse cases.
The new legislation will allow victims to bring a lawsuit in a Philippine court against their abusive partners, rather than in a civil court, and the Philippines has no national anti-rape law.
“All of us are very upset that this has happened, but this is an important first step,” says Naira Dey, a lawyer who has worked for years on cases against abusive husbands in the country.
“That the legislation will make a difference is very important.”
Aquino’s proposal comes as the Philippines faces a crisis of impunity for women who have been raped.
According to a 2016 report from Human Rights Watch, nearly half of the women and men who were raped in 2016 were women, many of whom were killed or left to die.
In 2016, an estimated 4,700 Filipinos died due to sexual violence, according to the National Police.
Aquinos administration has also taken steps to improve women’s access to justice.
It passed a law in 2015 that gives women equal access to the courts, which was intended to prevent abuses by men against women.
The law also provided that all cases must be filed within 24 hours, with the court to decide within 30 days.
But in January 2017, Aquinos office reversed the law and the new legislation allows the courts to decide on cases within 60 days.
In May 2017, the Philippine National Police reported that in 2016 there were 1,500 rape cases, of which 585 were dismissed.
And in July 2017, in response to the investigation into