March 8, 2011 is International Women’s Day which is celebrated globally celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. This year’s theme is “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women”. This year, 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. The day was commemorated for the first time on 19 March 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, following its establishment during the Socialist International meeting the prior year. More than one million women and men attended rallies on that first commemoration.
In celebration of such feat, the Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare Inc. (PNGOC) in collaboration with various groups led by the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN) is urging the Philippine legislators to give importance to the Responsible Parenthood-Reproductive Health Bill pending in congress and in senate.
Dr. Eden R. Divinagracia, the Executive Director of PNGOC said “the celebration of the international women’s day will be unforgettable once our legislators see’s the importance of such bill and how it can help each and every one of us especially the poor”.
“I could not see why some of our legislators are afraid of such bill; do they not see the long term effect of having a bill that can help save lives of mothers and children; do they not see the importance of having a law that can help couples plan their family; the RP-RH bill is PRO-Women, PRO-Poor and PRO-Quality of life that me and my organization is pushing for”.
PNGOC which is composed of 95 national and local based NGOs all over the country supports the passage of a Reproductive Health Care Act. -30- Dr. Eden Divinagracia, Executive Director, PNGOC
