FOR all its popular sentimental appeal, May 11,celebrated as Mother’s Day, has had its nobility of purpose clouded by commercialism.
According to Internet sources, Anna Jarvis, the American who introduced its observation on May 10, 1908, later became disillusioned when the holiday became more associated with gift-buying and treats.
Jarvis campaigned for a day to honor “mothers, living and dead” in memory of her own mother, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis.
Then a young Appalachian homemaker, Ann Marie worked to improve public sanitation. In the 1900s, most women limited their devotions to their homes. Ann Marie, though, organized women throughout the Civil War to work for better sanitary conditions.
Her advocacy among Union and Confederate households was recognized for bringing about reconciliation after the Civil War.
Her teaching the basics of nursing and sanitation to members of her Mothers Friendship Clubs was credited for saving lives.
In keeping with the memory of Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis’ communal service, the current celebration of Mother’s Day would be more meaningful if it hewed closer to the spirit of public service, specially for promoting the welfare of the disadvantaged and the marginalized: wo-men themselves.
Odds against women
Though Republic Act 7192, also known as the Women in Development and Nation Building Act, was promulgated on Feb. 12, 1992 to provide “women rights and opportunities equal to that of men,” conditions, programs and even state policies have yet “to be aligned with international obligations and treaties, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw),” of which the country is a signatory.
This was pointed out by Cedaw Watch Philippines, a movement promoting women’s human rights. Some gains have been made in giving credit assistance to women, passing legislation prohibiting sexual harassment, and increasing the minimum wage for domestic workers and maternity and paternity benefits for employed persons.
However, economic marginalization of women persists in many forms: the feminization of migrant labor, harassment and exploitation of overseas women workers, and the migration of unemployed and uneducated rural women to cities, where they become victimized by employers, traffickers, sex clients and pimps.
Power, not tokens
Improving the economy should not be carried out at the expense of women.
Viable but also safe and dignified jobs should be available to women. Measures have to be implemented to protect female subcontractors, workers in free-trade zones, overseas contract workers and informal entrepreneurs.
Women’s rights advocates have urged the alleviation of poverty and unemployment that drives women to seek exploitative and demeaning work, as well as overseas employment, which exact heavy repercussions on the family and society.
Government agencies need to improve information dissemination and support services to women and their families so that they can make informed decisions regarding overseas work. The state should sustain educating women workers before they depart for foreign employment, and monitor and safeguard their welfare when they seek release and redress from oppressive foreign employers.
Law enforcement agencies have to intensify their action to curb trafficking of persons, specially through the Internet.
Supporting women’s educational aspirations and work opportunities for self-sufficiency and independence goes hand in hand with giving access to information about the full range of reproductive and sexual health services, including family planning and contraception.
Upholding women’s decision-making and participation, from within the family up to the highest levels in the public and private sectors should be the aspiration of a society sincerely determined to honor women beyond sentimental and commercialized tokens of fealty and devotion.
