Rights and Empowerment The IRR elaborates on this section providing that women shall be allowed to contract marriage upon entry in military service or similar services, except for such positions where a marriage ban for a specific period of time is required for both men and women;108 and e) Entitlement to leave benefits such as maternity leave, as provided for by existing laws; The leave benefits under this provision include but are not limited to maternity leaves, solo parent privileges and leaves due to gynecological disorders109 Non-discriminatory and non-derogatory portrayal of women in media and film (sec. 16) This section of the MCW focuses on the State’s obligation to formulate policies and programs for the advancement of women in collaboration with government and non-government media related organizations. It tasks the State to raise the consciousness of the public in recognizing the dignity of women and the role and contribution of women in the family, community, and the society. This section also provides that the State shall require all media organizations and corporations: (a) to integrate into their human resource development components of regular training on gender equality and gender based discrimination; (b) create and use gender equality guidelines and convene a gender equality committee that will promote gender mainstreaming as a framework and affirmative action as a strategy; and(c) monitor and evaluate the implementation of gender equality guidelines110 Right to Health (sec. 17) The MCW provides for the provision of (a) comprehensive, culture sensitive, and gender responsive health services and programs covering all stages of a woman’s life cycle and which addresses women’s mortality and morbidity; and (b) the 85 provision of comprehensive Health Information and Education for women in all sectors with appropriate, timely, complete, and accurate information and education.111 In the IRR, the State is mandated to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy consisting of health programs, services and information for promoting women’s right to health throughout their lifespan.112 The strategy shall have as a major goal the reduction of women’s health risks and shall aim to remove all barriers interfering with women’s access to health services and information and protect women from the impact of cultural practices and norms that deny them of their full rights to health.113 In relation to the above provision,the “The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012” (RA 10354) guarantees the promotion of gender equality, gender equity, women empowerment and dignity as a health and human rights concern and as a social responsibility. It further declared that the advancement and protection of women’s human rights shall be central to the efforts of the State to address reproductive health care.114 Interestingly, the law gave very precise distinctions between gender equality and equity, thus: Gender equality refers to the principle of equality between women and men and equal rights to enjoy conditions in realizing their full human potentials to contribute to, and benefit from, the results of development, with the State recognizing that all human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. It entails equality in opportunities, in the allocation of resources or benefits, or in access to services in furtherance of the rights to health and sustainable human development among others, without discrimination.115 Gender equity refers to the policies, instruments, 111 See sec. 17, id. 112 Sec. 20, Rule IV, IRR of the Magna Carta of Women. 108 Sec. 18(A)(6)(a), id. 113 Id. 109 Sec. 18(A)(6)(b), id. 114 Sec. 2, RA 10354. 110 Sec. 16, third paragrpah, Magna Carta of Women. 115 Sec. 4(g), id. CHR Gender Ombud Guidelines