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This year’s National Women’s Month celebration took on a deeply personal and profoundly urgent tone with Oxfam Pilipinas’ event, “Personal to Powerful: Our Power to Act.” In line with our advocacies, it was a true privilege to be a part of this important gathering that underscored both the gains and the persistent struggles in our fight for gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHRJ).
At the heart of the celebration was the launch of SHE Rises: Stories of Change from People and Communities of the Sexual Health and Empowerment Project, a book capturing the resilience, courage, and triumphs of individuals and communities in asserting their SRHRJ. Co-implemented by Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Pilipinas, and 11 national and local partners, this initiative represents seven years of dedicated work to empower those most affected by gender injustices.
The long road ahead
Rosario “Lot” Felizco, Oxfam Pilipinas Country Director, set the tone with a stark reminder in her opening remarks, stating, “it has been 30 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. However, we are witnessing an era of broken promises, unfulfilled ambitions, and the rise of movements around the world that threaten gender equality, bodily autonomy, and the rights of women.”
Oxfam Pilipinas, with advocates of SRHR, marched in Manila on February 5, 2025 to defend the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) against disinformation.
Oxfam Pilpinas
While the Philippines has made strides in gender rights, significant barriers remain. Economic inequality continues to burden women disproportionately. Many remain trapped in low-paying, insecure jobs without social protections, forced to prioritize caregiving roles over personal development. Meanwhile, violence against women and LGBTQIA+ individuals persists despite legal protections such as the Anti-Rape Law (RA 8353) and the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (RA 9262). The gaps in implementation leave many survivors without justice, while LGBTQIA+ individuals continue to be denied fundamental rights by outdated, patriarchal laws.
Confronting the challenges: insights from the panel
The event’s panel discussion, “Rising to the Challenge of Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice (SRHRJ) in Today’s Landscape,” gathered experts and advocates to dissect the urgent challenges facing SRHRJ today.
A panel of advocates, professionals, and young educators gave a louder and clearer voice to the conversations that Oxfam Pilipinas sought to put forward in its celebration of Women’s Month.
Oxfam Pilpinas
As the next National and Local Elections draw closer, some of our discussions sought to emphasize the power of the ballot in shaping gender-responsive policies. Danica Shahana Magtubo, Program Officer at the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), rightfully pointed out that our celebration of Women’s Month is also a celebration of “our power to decide, act, care, and lead. Moving from personal to powerful, we reaffirm our collective commitment to pushing for pro-women and pro-SRHR policies, sustainable funding mechanisms, and strong feminist leadership to create a just and equal future for all.”
Nandy Senoc, Executive Director of the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines, called attention to the gaps in local government implementation of reproductive health programs. “Many LGUs are not familiar enough with the programs that need to be implemented under the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law,” he lamented. To address this, the FPOP is working to strengthen advocacy initiatives and expand networks to bridge this gap.
Meanwhile, Cristita ‘Tet’ Triunfante, Executive Director at MIDAS, highlighted the resistance faced in patriarchal communities when advocating for SRHR, pointing out how it becomes “a challenge” in pushing for SRHR and justice. “So it means we might need to go back to our strategies, such as the basic organization of communities and help them get their voice and express their demands,” she suggested.
Echoing this concern, Khyle Sabeliano, a Youth Peer Educator at Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan , shared their experiences in introducing Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) to young people who are alien to the subject. “We have to start from scratch because surprisingly, they really don’t know anything about it,” Khyle revealed.
The influence of political will – or lack thereof – was also a crucial point raised by Daryl Leyesa, Project Coordinator at Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan. She recounted how shifts in political leadership can abruptly derail reproductive health initiatives, citing how their work as a civil society organization was “unceremoniously halted because of the change in the political landscape. We were told we cannot implement without the say-so of the new chief executive.”
The author (center, wearing white) joins OXFAM Pilipinas in the call for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and Justice (SRHRJ) during the #PersonalToPowerful: Our Power to Act event.
Oxfam Pilpinas
The global and local fight for SRHRJ
Beyond the discussions, the event also marked the launch of Personal to Powerful, Oxfam’s global briefing paper advocating for bodily autonomy and SRHRJ as fundamental rights. As world leaders prepare to review the commitments made under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action three decades ago, this document serves as both a wake-up call and a roadmap for action. (Download a digital copy of the paper for free at oxfam.org.ph!)
Among its key recommendations are upholding and promoting bodily autonomy and SRHRJ as fundamental human rights; recognizing care as a right and a public good; and strengthening and resourcing feminist and queer organizations and movements.
As we celebrate Women’s Month, we must move from reflection to action. The upcoming elections provide a critical opportunity to elect leaders who will champion gender equality, SRHRJ, and social justice . We must hold policymakers accountable for ensuring sustainable funding, inclusive laws, and better access to sexual and reproductive healthcare.
Oxfam Pilipinas, together with partner organizations, extended the anticipatory assistance to El Nino-affected communities in BARMM.
To be surrounded by brilliant, passionate, and brave fellow advocates was nothing short of inspiring in keeping the fight alive for our advocacies in women’s rights, gender equality, and justice. As a mother of three young women, the goal of Oxfam was personal to me, too – we cannot just sit by or surrender during moments when our voices are needed the most. It’s important that our children see, through us, the empowerment of women.
Lot Felizco left us with a powerful message: “gender justice is not just about the rights of women – it is about the survival and dignity of all people.”
Indeed, the fight for gender justice is everyone’s fight. From the personal to the powerful, we must continue to act, advocate, and demand a future where every individual, regardless of gender, can live with dignity, autonomy, and equal opportunities.
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