The Girl Child: Philippine NGO Beijing +10 Report, c2005
Rosario del Rosario, Ph.D.
College of Social Work and Community Development, University of the Philippines Diliman
E-mail:sariodesantos@yahoo.com

The Philippine Government has enacted several legislations to protect and ensure the welfare of the Filipino girl child. But despite these legislations, the condition of the girl child remains dismal and her needs are inadequately provided for. Gender-based discrimination is still prevalent within homes, schools and the community at large. The girl child is still being the one trained to do feminized chores and given more responsibilities at home than boys. She is more exposed to sexual exploitation within and outside the home. Information and public education about the needs and rights of the girl child is generally lacking. Government policies and programmes concerning the girl child should also be more concrete and suited to her condition and needs. Several recommendations are put forth to assist the Government in developing and providing more responsive and suitable programmes for the improvement of the Filipino girl child.

This report forms part of a series of NGO assessment on the gains and losses ten years after the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing. Based on a longer paper by Rosario del Rosario, PhD, it incorporates NGO and government reports, and results of studies and consultations with NGOs active in the girl child issues.