Rights and Empowerment 79 ANNEX 2: Rights and Empowerment U nder the Magna Carta of Women (MCW), the rights in the Constitution and those rights recognized under international instruments duly signed and ratified by the Philippines in consonance with Philippine law, are rights of women under the act to be enjoyed without discrimination (sec. 8) As a document constituting fundamental guarantee of rights and privileges of women, the Magna Carta provides an entire chapter on rights and empowerment of women with a specific section for the rights and empowerment of marginalized women. It is the first national law to define the human rights of women and the various acts of discrimination against them as enshrined under CEDAW84. The rights and empowerment of women as enumerated in the Magna Carta and in relation to existing laws are as follows: Protection from Violence (sec. 9) The State shall ensure that women shall be protected from all forms of violence as provided for in existing laws and that agencies of the government shall give priority to the defense and protection of women against gender-based offenses, helping women attain justice and healing85. To ensure these, the State shall adopt the following measures: (a) incremental increase in the recruitment and training of women in the police force, forensics and medico-legal, legal services, and social work services availed of by women who are victims of gender-related offenses; (b) Mandatory training on human rights and gender sensitivity for all government personnel involved in the protection and defense of women against gender-based violence; (c) the establishment by all local government units a 84 Sen. Pia Cayetano, http://www.senate.gov.ph/press_ release/2009/0815_cayetano1.asp 85 Violence Against Women’s Desk in every barangay to ensure that violence against women cases are fully addressed in a gender-responsive manner. Women’s protection from violence is also penalized under previously enacted laws which include: The Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act (RA 7610), the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 (RA7877), the Anti-Rape Law of 1997 (RA), the Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998 (RA 8505), the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (RA 9262), the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 (RA 9995), the Migrant Workers Act of 1995 (RA 8045 as amended by RA 10022 in 2010), and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 (RA 10364). In relation to women’s protection from violence, Title VII of the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act (RA 8551) sets the framework for PNP assistance to women victims of violence. Section 57 of the law mandates the creation of and provides for the function of PNP women’s desks as follows: “The PNP shall establish women’s desks in all police stations throughout the country to administer and attend to cases involving crimes against chastity sexual harassment, abuses committed against women and children and other similar offenses: Provided, That municipalities and cities presently without policewomen will have two (2) years upon the effectivity of this Act within which to comply with the requirement of this provision.” Section 58 of the law requires the prioritization of women for recruitment and training who shall serve in the women’s desk. It reserves ten percent (10 %) of Sec. 9, Magna Carta of Women CHR Gender Ombud Guidelines