Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 2165

Introduced by
BAYAN MUNA Party-List Representatives EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT,
CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE and FERDINAND R. GAITE

AN ACT
MANDATING THE OBSERVANCE OF 29 NOVEMBER OF EVERY YEAR AS
WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS DAY

EXPLANATORY NOTE

November 29 was declared as the International Day on Women Human Rights Defenders ducing the
anniversary of the opening of the First International Consultation on Women Human Rights
Defenders (WHRDs), organized in 2005 by several human tights organizations in Colombo, Sti
Lanka,

In the Philippines, women and human rights organizations commemorate the day by articulating
positions on violations on the rights of women human rights defenders for the government to
address and resolve.

But human tights violations continue to plaque the country despite the government’s avowal of
respecting and protecting them, these rights being enshrined in our Constitution and several
other international covenants that the Philippines signed and ratified. As a result, a number of
individuals coming from the different sectors have emerged to defend, protect and advance the
cause of human rights in the country. ‘These individuals form the legion of selfless human rights,
advocates or defenders in the country.

‘A human tights defender as defined in the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility
of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms (commonly known as the Declaration on Human Rights Defenderd) is anyone
working for the promotion and protection of human rights. This broad definition encompasses
professional as well as non-professional human rights workers, volunteers, church people,
journalists, lawyers, indigenous peoples and anyone else carrying out, even on an occasional
basis, a human rights activity.


In the Philippines, many Human Rights Defenders (HIRD) have been subjected to harassment,
vilification, torture, persecution, enforced disappearances and even killings in the course of their
work. Under the past administration, human rights groups documented 476 cases of extrajudicial
killings and 68 cases of enforced disappearances involving or victimizing HRDs.

Yet, until today, justice for these victims and their families remain elusive, even as human rights
abuses even intensified, especially in the rural areas where so-called “developmental projects” are
being aggressively pushed.

In all these, many women have not only been active in the defense and protection of human
rights in the country, but they are even in the forefront in this crusade. ‘Their activism is vital not
only to empower women but they also effectively advance the right of all peoples by challenging
inequality and repression in our society. As women take leading roles in human rights advocacy
and promotion, they also challenge traditional gender roles in a society that remains to be male-
dominated.

‘Asa result, women human rights defenders are becoming even more vulnerable to hostility and
reprisals than their male colleagues. Because of their work on women’s tights, many of them
become targets by state agents, organized crime rings, extremist religious groups, and
paramilitary groups. ‘They suffer from sexual harassment, abuse and even death.

‘According to Tanggol Bayi (Defend Women)!, an association of women human rights defenders
in the Philippines, women human tights defenders, have been targeted by counter-insurgency
measures which seek to abolish any form of resistance. Oplan Bayanihan, the counter-insurgency
policy of the Aquino administration which remains operative under the Duterte administration
until December 2016, has claimed the lives of more than 300 persons, and has been used to
justify the illegal arrest and detention of social activists.

As of July 6, 2019, there are 532 political prisoners, 61 of them are women. Detained for
trumped-up charges and fabricated evidences, they remain a stark indication that underneath the
thetoric of democracy is the intolerance for dissent and opposition, for comprehensive and
genuine social change. These women activists are community organizers, teachers, health
workers, disaster relief workers, among others, who have dedicated their lives in the struggle for
a world free from imperialist rule and plunder and State oppression.?

‘There is a need to promote the importance of respecting and defending human rights in the
country. This could be achieved through educational activities that focus on human rights,
gender and development issues and how everyone can become a human rights defender.
Declaring a National Consciousness Day on Women Human Rights Defenders every 29" of
November will certainly aid and facilitate this endeavor.

‘The bill was filed by Bayan Muna Party-List during the 15" and 16" Congresses as House Bill
5880 and House Bill 3455, respectively. It was refiled during the 17" Congress and was approved
by the House on May 21, 2019 as House Bill 9102.

‘Thus, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Approved,

Rep. cureanp ‘C. CULLAMAT

Bayan Muna Party-List

Bayan Muna Party-List

Rep. [AND R. GAITE
Bayan Muna Party-List

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

R165
HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by
BAYAN MUNA Party-List EUFEMIA C. CULLAMAT,
CARLOS ISAGANI T. ZARATE and FERDINAND R. GAITE

AN ACT
MANDATING THE OBSERVANCE OF 29 NOVEMBER OF EVERY YEAR AS.
WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS DAY

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

Section 1. This Act shall be known as the “Women Human Rights Defenders Day Act of 2019”.

Section 2. The state shall ensure that the perpetrators of extrajudicial killings, enforced
disappearances, vilifications, harassments, torture and other forms of human rights violations
shall be punished so that justice shall be served to the victims and thei families.

“The state shall intensify its efforts to respect and protect human rights, especially Women’s rights
in the country. The state recognizes the participation of all sectors concemed and shall ensure
the prevention of further human sights violations. Towards this end, the state shall endeavor to
raise awareness of the people regarding this issue.

‘The state shall respect and protect human rights defenders against any violence, retaliation and
intimidation as a consequence of their human rights work.

Section 3. ‘The 29" of November of every year is hereby declared as National Consciousness
Day for the Protection of the Rights of Women Human Rights Defenders in support of
the International campaign to protect human rights defenders especially women’s sights
defenders.

Section 4, The implementation of this Act shall be under the Commission of Human Rights
(CHR), in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher
Education (CHED), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Philippine
Commission on Women, which shall create programs directed towards educating the people
about human rights and gender issues and the need to uphold these rights. Civil Society
organizations shall also be tapped to assist the CHR in this endeavor.


‘The CHR shall also publish every month the status of attacks on HRDs for the public to
monitor and to be aware of the violations against human rights and HRDs.

Section 5. Separability Clause. - if any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or
otherwise invalid, the validity of other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

Section 6. Repealing clause. - All aws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 7. Effectivity. “This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,