The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) will have its 18^th Congress entitled “JUANA TALKS: Bakit Mahalaga ang Agenda ni Juana?” on September 26, 2019, Thursday, at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City. Highlight of the Congress would be the presentation-discussion on “Removing Gender Discrimination in the Legal Framework” and   “Call for Gender-Responsive Laws.”

The Commission will also be launching the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda (WPLA); the WPLA is a set of proposed topics of bills that seeks to amend or repeal the discriminatory provisions of existing laws and seeks for the formulation and adoption of new legislations that promotes women’s empowerment and gender equality. For the WPLA launch, PCW is organizing TED TALKS highlighting the importance of women and gender-responsive legislation in the country.

Among the Women’s Priority Legislative Agenda for the 18^th Congress include the:

• Strengthening the Provisions of R.A. 8353: Amending the Anti-Rape Law
• Repealing Adultery and Concubinage: Repealing the Revised Penal Code provisions on Adultery and Concubinage (Articles 333 and 334)
• Ensuring Women’s Equal Rights in Marriage and Family Relations
• Amending the Family Code Provision on Legal Separation
• Enacting the Anti-Prostitution Law (Amending Articles 202 and 341 of the Revised Penal Code)
• Upholding the Right to Life and Security of Spouses and Daughters by Repealing Article 247 of the Revised Penal Code
• Enacting Women’s Political Participation and Representation Law
• Enacting  the Ant-Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender  Identity Act
• Adopting Divorce in the Family Code and
• Enacting the Transitioning of Workers and Economic Units from the Informal to the Formal Economy

The National Council on Disability Affairs is calling the attention of the Philippine Commission on Women to include in all their legislation agenda the concerns of women with disabilities.