MANILA, Philippines — A women’s group advocating for reproductive health rights has asked the Philippine government to heed the recommendation of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) to legalize abortion for pregnant adolescents.
In a joint statement released Thursday, the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) commended the UN CRC for providing a strong set of recommendations to the Philippine government — including providing an access to safe abortions for adolescent parents.
“For the first time, the UN CRC urges the Philippine government to legalize abortion and ensure access to abortion and post-abortion care services for adolescent girls,” WGNRR, which is composed of several international and local women’s rights organizations, said.
“We commend the UN CRC for issuing strong and robust recommendations to advance adolescent health in the country and reiterating the Philippine Government’s human rights obligations to ensure the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of children, particularly adolescents,” it added.
WGNRR was referring to the UN CRC Concluding Observation dated September 23, which contained recommendations to the Philippines. Under the report’s Letter H portion, under “Basic health and welfare,” it recommended that the government legalize abortion.
“Legalise abortion and ensure access to safe abortion and post-abortion care services for adolescent girls, making sure that their views are always heard and given due consideration as a part of the decision-making process, and develop and implement a policy to protect the rights of pregnant teenagers,” the UN CRC report stated.
According to WGNRR, the UN CRC’s recommendation is a significant victory for the sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescents in the country.
Aside from legalizing abortion, WGNRR also took note of other recommendations, particularly on its call for the government to ensure that adolescents get access to sexual and reproductive health education while paying special attention to measures preventing early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
UN CRC also asked that adolescents too be given access to modern contraception modes and even confidential testing and HIV treatment without parental consent and review the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act No. 10354 of 2012 accordingly.
“As a signatory to international human rights treaties including the UN CRC, the Philippine Government committed to ensure the fulfillment of sexual and reproductive health and rights of all especially of adolescents,” WGNRR said.
“Our solidarity and commitment to SRHR and children’s rights made all these possible. As SRHR, women’s rights, and child rights advocates, we will continue to hold the government accountable to its commitments and monitor its implementation of the UN CRC recommendations and other human rights obligations.
“We will continue to hold the government accountable to its commitments and monitor its implementation of the UN CRC recommendations and other human rights obligations,” WGNRR stated.
Currently, abortion is still illegal in the country, and critics point to Constitutional provisions which say the State has the duty of equally protecting the mother and the life of the unborn child.
Under the 1987 Constitution and the Revised Penal Code, abortion is a criminal offense punishable by up to six years imprisonment for physicians and midwives who perform the procedure, and by two to six years imprisonment for women who avail of abortion.
However, the lack of a law on abortions has led pregnant teenagers to seek underground and unsanctioned abortion operators; according to data gathered in the country, over 600,000 women availed of induced abortion in 2012.
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This has led women’s rights groups to call for measures that give women options, especially minors and victims of sexual assault, to have the option of terminating the pregnancy.