(Comelec) and the CHR. It aims to monitor and report the observance of human rights
surrounding the national elections; to educate the public on how election-related human
rights violations can be reported and; provide a uniform reporting platform for the public for
CHR and Comelec to take actions against violations.
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Human Rights Policy Advisory Services
To respond to one of its primary tasks which is to oversee and advise government
regarding compliance with treaty obligations on international human rights standards and
instruments, and performing the entire aspect of “checking and reviewing how the executive,
legislative, and judiciary address the human rights concerns and situations in the country
including translating international human rights standards into national policies, laws, and
practice”, the CHR has been issuing and publicizing policy advisory statements and policy
guideline positions.
I. Policy Issuances
The CHR released 63 issuances on several human rights issues for the year 2021. Of
the total, 18 were released by the Central Office (29%) and 45 (71%) were released by the
regional offices to the regional stakeholders. Of the 63 issuances, 42 were incorporated and/or
used in national/local/municipal/provincial/regional policies and ordinance.
Table 19
Policy Issuances Released
Number of Policy Issuances Released
Policy Issuances that are Incorporated/ Used
in National/Local/ Municipal/ Provincial/
Regional Policies/ Ordinances
63
42
II. Human Rights Situation Reports
Situation reports are updates provided by the CHR as a periodic summing up of the
Philippine human rights situation including state compliance to international standards and
domestic legislations, along with cases of violations when these applicable. The reports
highlight the significant data and the general drift and implications of the trends while also
showing all other pertinent information in relation to human rights. The CHR administers this
form of status reporting to facilitate regular information sharing whereby the decision and
policy-makers and the general public gain access knowledge on the state of national and
regional (localized) human rights from the more proficient lens of an agency authorized and
mandated to document, investigate and interpret the general and current situation.
Through the reports, the CHR aids the country’s government administrators and
officials in having a clear and concise grasp of the human rights situation while presenting
documented and well-sourced facts along with contexts and implications vis-à-vis human
rights protection and prevention laws and international agreements to which the Philippines
is a party and signatory. For 2021, the CHR released a total of 101 human rights situation
reports. In addition, a total of 36 research papers for Grants-In-Aid (GIA) and other research
reports were written covering various sectors, such as, women, child, academe and the general
public.
24