Human’s rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status as stated by United Nations. Whereas, Women’s Human Rights have always been a hot topic since time immemorial.
Nowadays, where does women’s rights stand? What are the differences of treatment and privileges for women before and today?
If we already have human rights for all, why is it important to talk about women’s rights? Women’s rights are significant because in the past, women were only limited to stay in the house, to serve and care for her family; she is not entitled to work and decide for her family. While today, the society and government has given women the right and privilege to make a living of her own; she can work and decide for her family including the right to have good nutrition and nutrition of her children.
Today, there is what we call Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Law that protects women and children from abusive persons. They implement this law in their barangays. Cases of violence such as battery and physical harassment of the husband to her wife in the barangay, are immediately taken care of at the barangay hall, wherein both the husband and wife are called upon and are counselled. Inclusion of nutrition on the other hand, is still a challenged among women. Food at the table are sometimes limited for mothers and children to eat. That is why many of whom victims of food insecurity at home carry with them a malnourished family.
On proper nutrition and women, a woman should know what to do when she becomes a mother. The importance of proper nutrition during her pregnancy until birth; that she should provide for her baby’s needs such as breastfeeding and right complementary feeding so as not to result in malnutrition later as the child grows. As a woman and a mother, she should know how to prepare and cook nutritious food for her family. And by knowing all these, her children would also impart and practice this knowledge when time comes for them to have a family of their own. And thus, the cycle of malnutrition be resolved gradually.
They always on the go to advocate what is good nutrition. Women who in most of the time decide to budget for food for the family, make sure of the fresh available food for the table. In a rural area like Bato, they sometimes encounter food shortage that is why mother’s like the Chairpersons encouraged the community to plant vegetable in their own backyard.
Looking forward to the future of the community, as mothers, our local chief executive ladies at the barangay level have a caring thinking which involved inclusion of the nutrition programs in the barangay development plans. Making sure that smooth implementation would be gained by our children in the future.
March of every year is a Women´s Month. This year’s theme aims to celebrate the achievements of women and girls in various fields and recognize their contributions to the development of our country. With the theme “We Make Change Work for Women”, Brgy. Chairpersons like Norma Felicilda, Maria Lourdes Borong and Crestita Saguisa of Bato, Leyte and the nutrition advocates will always be our big stakeholders of scaling up nutrition in the countryside. The little achievements they contribute is a salute in the celebration of Women’s Month! (NO1 Ayra Mae O. Simborio)
