The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that “[the State] shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men.” This supported the passing of a number of laws to ensure gender equality and the elimination of discrimination against women, as well as the ratification of international human rights treaties, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and other covenants.

The nation's population is estimated at 92.23 million people, with women comprising 49.72 percent. The fertility rate is 3.5 children per woman, and although declining, this rate is relatively high compared with other Southeast Asian countries. There are 172 maternal deaths to live births, with 56.5 percent of babies delivered at home. More than half of all pregnancies in ...