Poverty and women's social issues linked, says Cebu profpassage of local ordinance on cyberporn urged
CEBU CITY, March 12 (PIA) -- Filipino women are prone to prostitution and human trafficking syndicates of poverty, thus there is a need for education campaigns and passing of legislation such as the local ordinance on cyber pornography.
This was the assessment of University of the Philippines-Cebu College associate professor Dr. Rhodora Bucoy who said that there is a definite link between poverty and these social ills. Thus, she information and education campaigns are needed to help address such social issues.
“Though much have been achieved by Filipino women today compared to before, there is still a lot to be done to attain total women empowerment,” Bucoy stressed during a recent PIA forum that tackled the celebration of March as Women’s Month. She expressed hope that the ordinance on cyber pornography will be finalized this month.
Bucoy is also the coordinator of Sidlak–Gender Resource Center 7, a non-government organization that fights for the magna carta for women particularly on gender and development and women empowerment.
The pro-women advocate also hailed the active involvement of the Cebu City Government on passing measures and initiating programs that promote the overall welfare of women.
Among the pro-women legislative ordinances passed in the Cebu City Council included on anti-trafficking, kasambahay and the Gender and Development (GAD) Code of Cebu City.
According to Camila Santina of the Cebu City Women’s and Family Affairs Commission, “Cebu City Councilor Leah Japson is working hard to ensure that the rights of women are always recognized which is why she made sure that local legislations for women are instituted.”
“There will also be a public hearing on the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance on March 14,” Santina said.
Among the activities that were organized for the observance of Women’s Month in Cebu City included a forum and information sharing on the ‘Rights of Migrant Workers’ last March 9 and another forum on March 21 on Climate Change as the theme this year centers on ‘Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility.’ (PIA-Cebu)