Hon. Loretta Ann P. Rosales STRENGTHENING NHRI CAPACITY TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS Hon. Loretta Ann P. Rosales Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights

OVERVIEW Reproductive Health in the Magna Carta of Women Proposed RH Bill Initiatives of CHR to advance Reproductive Rights Recommended Strategies to strengthen NHRI capacity to promote and protect Reproductive Rights COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Reproductive Health in the Magna Carta of Women SEC. 17 (a) Comprehensive health services: 1. Maternal care to include pre- and post-natal services to address pregnancy and infant health and nutrition; 2. Responsible, ethical, legal, safe, and effective methods of family planning; COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Continued SEC. 17 (a) Comprehensive health services: 3. Family and State collaboration in youth sexuality education and health services without prejudice to the primary right and duty of parents to educate their children; 4. Prevention and management of reproductive tract infections, including sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and AIDS; COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Cont'd. SEC. 17 (a) Comprehensive health services: 5. Prevention and management of reproductive tract cancers like breast and cervical cancers, and other gynaecological conditions and disorders. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Proposed Legislation on Reproductive Rights House Bill No. 4244 Salient Features: Policies 1. State guarantees and recognizes the exercise of the universal basic human right to reproductive health by parents, couples, and women; 2. Access to reproductive health care guided by the principle of equality and non discrimination; COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Continued Salient Features: Policies 3. Promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment; 4. Universal access to medically safe, legal, affordable, effective, and quality reproductive health care services. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Cont'd. Salient Features: Implementing Provisions 1. Access to Family Planning; 2. Procurement and Distribution of Family Planning Supplies; 3. Mandatory Age Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education; COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Cont'd. Salient Features: Implementing Provisions 4. Ideal family size with two children; 5. Employers with more than 200 employees to provide reproductive health services; 6. Cities and municipalities should ensure that Persons With Disabilities have access to reproductive health care services. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Initiatives of CHR to promote Reproductive Rights CHR Advisory declaring EO No. 003 of the City of Manila discriminatory primarily on the ground that it violates Article 16 of the CEDAW that obligates State Parties to ensure that women shall have equal rights to determine the number and spacing of children. EO No. 003discourages the use of artificial birth control methods and promotes natural family planning method. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Initiatives of CHR to promote Reproductive Rights Multi-stakeholder dialogue on EO 003 with the City Council of Manila. CHR joined the June 11 2011 community celebration entitled “YES TO LIFE: YES TO WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS”, where it delivered a message of support on the RH Bill.resulted in the agreement of submitting a draft of a substitute ordinance. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Continued CHR to hold dialogue with 16 other cities and 1 municipality in Metro Manila on ordinances that affect reproductive rights; Development of guidelines in handling complaints and investigations as Gender Ombud; Actively support the creation of Gender and Development Councils in regional and provincial levels; Lobby work for the passage into law of the RH Bill; Development of the Comprehensive Monitoring Programme for the next five years. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Recommended strategies to strengthen NHRI capacity NHRI to promote and protect Reproductive Rights Internal capacity building on reproductive rights. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Recommended strategies to strengthen NHRI capacity NHRI to promote and protect Reproductive Rights Capitalize on the legal mandate of the NHRI provided in the law that creates it or found in other legislations. Eg. CHR is both an NHRI and a Gender Ombud, giving it jurisdiction to receive complaints on acts of discrimination committed by private individuals as well state actors. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Recommended strategies to strengthen NHRI capacity NHRI to promote and protect Reproductive Rights Link monitoring capacities to building collaborative relations with local governments by way of providing these state instrumentalities advisory opinion or submissions on policies that for example affect access to reproductive health rights. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Recommended strategies to strengthen NHRI capacity NHRI to promote and protect Reproductive Rights Actively involve themselves in collaborative undertaking to promote reproductive rights whether they are organized by partners in the executive or legislative branch of government or by civil society. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Recommended strategies to strengthen NHRI capacity NHRI to promote and protect Reproductive Rights Establish partnerships with key actors in the promotion of reproductive health rights in the international solidarity network. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Recommended strategies to strengthen NHRI capacity NHRI to promote and protect Reproductive Rights NHRIs should and must utilize their comprehensive monitoring competence to verify whether or not reproductive rights are observed or made accessible by government. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Recommended strategies to strengthen NHRI capacity NHRI to promote and protect Reproductive Rights In the promotion of reproductive rights, NHRIs should ensure that discussions equally include the experiences of male individuals including LGBTs. The discourse should be guided by heath issues that affect women, men and LGBTs, such as HIV and AIDS. In these efforts, NHRIs should also ensure that they employ a collaborative approach by involving organizations who have expertise as well as private individuals who are willing to share their experiences on reproductive rights issues. COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Maraming Salamat! COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS SAAC Bldg, UP Complex Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City (632) 928-5655; (632) 926-6188 www.chr.gov.ph