Women, Work and Care (Philippines)

Despite these areas of progress, cultural expectations around gender roles and family responsibilities continue to hold back Filipino women from full equality. The report highlights the dual roles that Filipino women play, as both workers in paid employment, and also unpaid care workers in the home taking care of young children and the elderly.

The report considers how women’s equality in the Philippines is impacted by social norms as well as by domestic policies and international agreements around women’s rights. In 2009, the Philippines implemented the Magna Carta for Women that supports anti-discrimination measures, as well as positive initiatives such as workplace childcare, breastfeeding stations and paid maternity leave. The Philippines is also the only Asian country to ratify the 2011 ILO Domestic Workers Convention, which recognises domestic workers as employees and stipulates a minimum wage and social security benefits.

The Women, Work and Care report also illustrates how gender equality in the Philippines intersects with socio-economic inequalities, as women from wealthier segments of society are afforded greater equality than those from lower socio-economic groups.