PH Ambassador to Australia Highlights PH Advances on Gender Parity
Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega (left) participates in the forum to celebrate International Women’s Day organized by several organization in Blacktown, New South Wales on 14 March 2020. (Canberra PE photo)
CANBERRA 19 March 2020 – Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega highlighted the Philippines as a trailblazer in advancing gender parity during the forum organized by various Filipino community organizations in Blacktown, New South Wales to commemorate International Women’s Day on 14 March 2020.
Ambassador De La Vega, who served as the forum’s keynote speaker, shared the policies adopted in the Philippines that are advancing women’s role in the labor force and society, such as the 2017 Executive Order on Modern Family Planning, the 2019 Expanded Maternity Leave Law, and the 2019 Safe Spaces Act.
The Philippines placed 16th among 153 countries in the 2020 Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum, the only Asian country in the top 20.
“To be a woman living in either the Philippines or Australia is a position of strength. Both societies are supportive of women taking leadership roles”, Ambassador De La Vega said at the gala dinner. The Ambassador invited guests to view “Today’s Filipina-Australian” at the Philippine Embassy in Australia Facebook page. The Embassy’s social media campaign promotes the #WomenMakeChange theme of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) that will run until 28 March 2020, in observance of PCW’s 45th anniversary this year.
The forum is organized by Adhika Inc., Plaza Filipino, Narra Co-op, and the Masonic Friends of the Philippines. It also featured Filipina experts in the fields of medicine, law, finance, politics, and music. END
Philippine Consul General in Sydney Ezzedin Tago delivers the opening remarks at the forum to celebrate International Women’s Day on 14 March 2020. He talked about gender parity at the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the services of the Consulate on gender and development. (Canberra PE photo)
Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega gives the inspirational message at the gala dinner to celebrate International Women’s Day held on 14 March 2020 in Blacktown, NSW. (Canberra PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.philembassy.org.au or https://www.facebook.com/PHinAustralia/.