United Nations, Geneva, 16 March 2004 – The nations of the world must act and adopt laws that will punish
 those who commit violence against women, those who traffic in persons and those who abuse migrants,
 Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert said in a strong statement today denouncing violence against
 women migrant workers and trafficking in women at the High Level Segment of the 60th Session of the
 Commission on Human Rights (CHR) from 15 to 18 March 2004.

The Secretary said that under the Arroyo Administration, the Philippines has been at the forefront of adopting ground-breaking legislation that would benefit women and migrants.  She informed the Commission that  President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed two important laws that further strengthened existing laws that protect women from violence. Secretary Albert mentioned that the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004 was signed into law last 8 March 2004 which is also International Women’s Day. She also mentioned that President Macapagal-Arroyo signed the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act last year. Secretary Albert stressed that both legislations have made trafficking and violence against women criminal acts.

 The Secretary reiterated the Philippines’ strong commitment to further develop policies in accordance
 with the Beijing Platform of Action to intervene on violence against women, including women migrant
 workers. According to the Secretary, violence against women migrant workers is an issue of deep importance,
 especially for a country like the Philippines, which presently has about 3.5 million women migrant workers
 around the world.

 Secretary Albert also called on concerned Governments, in particular those countries of origin and
 destination that have not done so, to put in place penal sanctions and legal measures to punish
 perpetrators of violence against women migrant workers and to the extent possible, to provide the victims of
 violence, with the full range of immediate assistance, such as counselling, legal and consular assistance,
 temporary shelter, and other measures that will allow them to be present during the judicial process, to
 safeguard their dignified return to the country of origin as well as to establish reintegration and
 rehabilitation schemes for returning women. She further urged all States which have not done so, to
 consider signing and ratifying or acceding to the International Convention on the Protection of the
 Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.

 Secretary Albert highlighted the importance of mainstreaming women’s human rights by integrating
 gender concerns into the over-all agenda of the Commission. She thus asked delegations to support the
 two resolutions which the Philippines will be tabling at the 60th CHR namely: (1) Violence Against Women
 Migrant Workers; and (2) Traffic in Women and Girls. Secretary Albert also stated that it is time to
 consider the appointment of a Special Rapporteur on trafficking in women and girls to ensure continued
 monitoring of this issue.

 The 60th Session of the Commission on Human Rights is currently holding its annual six-week session from 15
 March until 23 April 2004 beginning with the three and a half day high level segment (HLS) meetings. The HLS
 is attended by high level delegates composed of ministers, high level senior government officials and
 chiefs of various UN agencies.

 The CHR is the principal human rights organ of the United Nations and is based at the United Nations
 Office in Geneva. It was created in 1946 and is made up of 53 member states. This year’s session is being
 chaired by Australian Ambassador Mike Smith. END