II. LEGAL FRAMEWORKS A. CEDAW The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. Described as the International Bill of Rights for Women, CEDAW contextualizes the neutral human rights standards found in previous instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), to the situation of women. The general premise of eliminating discrimination is stated in its preamble. It then highlights the different areas that specifically affect women. CEDAW specifies 12 sites of gender discrimination and the state obligations to address these. Among the common areas of discrimination are education, employment, health, and political participation. Article 12 of the Convention, for instance, seeks to eliminate discrimination in the access to health care for women, and underscores the necessity for appropriate, gender-specific healthcare services such as those related to pregnancy, and post-natal period. For the purpose of monitoring the progress made in the implementation of CEDAW, a Committee on the Elimination of Women was established. States-Parties to the Convention undertook to submit to the UN Secretary-General, for consideration by the Committee, a report on the measures adopted to give effect to the provisions of CEDAW. The Philippines signed the CEDAW in 1980 and was the first ASEAN country to ratify it in 1981. Since then, it has submitted reports to the CEDAW Committee and has been subject to periodic reviews. For the next reporting, the report will focus on the issues as identified by the CEDAW Committee in the List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR), summarized below as follows (The complete LOIPR is in Annex “A”).  Access to justice and legal complaint mechanisms 44