ZONTA Club of Cebu 2 hosted the “Girls Not Brides’’ webinar on June 5, 2021, to support Senate Bill No. 1373, or the “Girls Not Brides Bill,” authored by Senator Risa Hontiveros.
In Zontian lawyer Mae Elaine Bathan’s introductory speech, she said the freedom to choose is one of the rights of every Filipino, including all girls.
Bathan further highlighted some of the public’s sentiments on the “Girls Not Brides Bill,” showing the lack of awareness on the matter.
The bill’s author also spoke during the online forum.
“Child marriage is a form of abuse. Child marriage is criminal and should never have a place in our society,” Hontiveros said.
The United Nations Children’s Fund states that 10 million child marriages may occur before the end of the decade.
The Philippines was ranked 12th in the world with the prevalence of child marriage.
Hontiveros said early and forced marriages are a tragic experience for girls. Early marriages happen largely due to economic circumstances, cultural expectations, and outdated beliefs and norms.
“There are girls who are forced to enter child marriages because of the baseless conception that the measure of a woman, of a girl, is determined only by being a wife, a mother, a homemaker,” Hontiveros said.
The seasoned lawmaker said Filipino society would not thrive if people would not respect the life and dignity of women and children.
She concluded her speech with an appeal to all advocates.
“Let us help each other help our children. Let us ensure that our girls simply be children, children who can still dream, hope, and enjoy the bright future that awaits them,” Hontiveros said.
As part of the vision of Zonta Club of Cebu 2 to educate every citizen of the importance of this bill, the club’s president Cristina “Petite” Garcia pledged to remain supportive of the campaign to end child marriages, and emphasized that “social change cannot succeed without community engagement.”
Although the Philippines is a signatory to international laws concerning child brides, the laws that the country has, lack in protecting these girls. The Girls Not Brides Bill, if passed into a law, will be able to provide the necessary protection.
Hontiveros remains hopeful that the bill will be passed in the 18th Congress.
In attendance were members of Zonta Clubs of Cebu 1, and other Zontians from Iloilo, National Capital Region, Davao, General Santos City, Bacolod City and Cagayan de Oro City.
Other prominent guests include members of Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu Chapter, local government units represented by Mandaue City Councilor Cynthia Remedio and Cebu City Councilor Niña Mabatid, police officers, and representatives of Mandaue Local Office of Muslim Affairs.
Zonta Club of Cebu 2, a member club of Zonta International, is leading advocacy efforts to improve the lives of women by promoting strategies to eradicate violence against women and children. (MERRY MELLE AGUILAR, NICOLE ASHLYN TORREPALMA OF ST. THERESA’S COLLEGE OF CEBU MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS)