Day 2016-03-21

I recently had the opportunity to attend a CEDAW national consultation in recognition of the 35^th anniversary of the Philippines’ ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). I learned here that the Philippines drafted the original CEDAW bill presented to the United Nations, marking an important moment in the collective recognition that women faced distinct barriers to equality that deserved legal and governance attention. Today, the terrain of gender rights work is changing, affected by policy reforms that are facilitating the Philippines’ integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community. How will CEDAW find relevance and contest gender-blind policy in this new domain?