Advocates, cause-oriented groups celebrate International Women’s Day

Despite being a leader in advancing the rights of women and children, Cebuanos were urged to help in completely closing the gender gap between Filipino men and women.

This was stressed during the Woman’s Forum in St. Theresa’s College (STC), one of the several activities held on Thursday morning in celebration of the International Women’s Day.

Lawyer Hazel Helmuth – Vega, one of the guest speakers in the event, said that spreading awareness on the Magna Carta for Women will help close the gender gap in the country.

“It is hightime for women to discuss the Magna Carta which seeks to address this disparity,” said Vega.

In a rally held in Colon Street, Cebu City, a coalition of various cause-oriented groups urged the public to continue empowering women.

The groups which joined the rally were Akbayan, Kaisa Ka, Partido Manggagawa (PM), Sentro, Forge, Kaabag sa Sugbo, Pagtambayayong, Pangingisda, League of the Urban Poor in Action (Lupa) and Lihok Pilipina.

Emalyn Aliviano, spokesperson of the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya-Cebu (Kilusan-Cebu), expressed disgust over President Rodrigo Duterte in addressing women’s issues, descirbing his administartion as ‘misogynistic’.

Aliviano also called the president to sign a senate bill which proposed to extend maternity leave with pay from 1 month to 4 months.

Hundreds of women from different Cebu City barangays also gathered in Plaza Sugbu at past 8 a.m. today to celebrate the International Women’s Day.