CREATING A COMMITTEE ON GENDER RESPONSIVENESS IN THE JUDICIARY

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the
State to promote the role of women in nation-building and ensure the
fundamental equality before the law of women and men (Section 14,
Article II, Constitution);

WHEREAS, in the attainment of this
policy, Congress passed Republic Act No. 7192, otherwise known as the
Women in Development and Nation Building Act, which mandates all
government departments and agencies to review and revise all pertinent
regulations, circulars, issuances, and procedures to remove gender bias
and to ensure that women benefit equally and participate directly in
development programs, projects, and processes;

WHEREAS, the General Appropriations
Act of 1995 and of the succeeding years require all government
departments, offices, bureaus, agencies, state universities and
colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), and
other government instrumentalities to formulate a Gender and Development
(GAD) Plan, the cost of which shall be at least five percent (5%) of
the agency’s total budget appropriations;

WHEREAS, in light of the objectives
of R.A. No. 7192 and the directive in that regard of the annual General
Appropriations Acts, and as the Judiciary’s effective response to the
urgency to mainstream gender in the Judiciary, i.e., to integrate GAD
principles in the Judiciary’s policies, programs, and structures,
particularly by undertaking, coordinating, and monitoring judicial
activities that promote gender responsiveness, it is necessary that a
comprehensive GAD Plan for the Judiciary be formulated;

WHEREAS, the formulation of such
plan requires study and planning, and the creation of a committee for
the purpose is the most expeditious procedure to adopt.

NOW, THEREFORE, a Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary (CGRJ) is hereby constituted, to be composed of the following:

The Committee shall prepare a comprehensive Gender
and Development (GAD) Plan aimed at compliance by the Judiciary with the
objective to mainstream gender in the Judiciary’s policies, programs
and structures, particularly by undertaking, coordinating, and
monitoring judicial activities that promote gender responsiveness, which
shall include a program of action.

The Committee shall also review the gender
responsiveness of the Action Program for Judicial Reform (APJR), in
collaboration with the Program Management Office.

The Committee shall convene as soon as possible and submit its report and recommendation not later than 30 July 2003.

The provisions of Administrative Circular No. 13-99
on expense allowance of officers and members of committees shall apply
to the officers, members, and secretary of the Committee herein created.

Issued this 27th day of March 2003.