President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said empowering women in the marginalized sector is the next step in the government’s efforts to promote women’s rights and achieve inclusivity.
In his message for the National Women’s Month, the Chief Executive admitted that the “path” for empowering women in the marginalized sector remains “uncharted.”
“Knowing this, it is imperative that conscious efforts are consistently being taken to ensure that every Filipina has equal opportunities and is actively engaged in nation-building,” Marcos said.
“I enjoin every Filipino to embrace their civic and moral obligation to make sure that every ‘Juana’ feels free and safe to use her voice with courage and compassion,” he added.
He also stressed the importance of safeguarding the gains the country had made in women empowerment by combating past gender biases, prejudices and discrimination.
“Throughout history, we were blessed with an impressive list of remarkable advocates who marched and fought, and sacrificed to uphold women’s rights and foster a culture of respect that transcends gender differences,” Marcos said.
Last year, the country improved its ranking in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Index report (GGGR), which covered 146 countries.
From being 19th place in the index in 2022, the country advanced to its 16th place last year.
The GGGR is based on the following factors: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and educational empowerment.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes