Gender Justice Awards

As we go through our advocacy of promoting equality, I saw this 'contest' from NCRFW's site (National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women) they call "Gender Justice Awards". In coordination with the University of the Philippines-Center for Women's Studies Foundation Inc. (UPCWSFI) and the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP), the project aims to aims to highlight the important role that the judiciary plays in addressing violence against women (VAW).

Now here's my take on this so called award. If this initiative came from these women organizations saying they will be awarding those in our judiciary, hearing VAW (Violence Against Women) cases. What do you think is a man's chance to win his case and for the judge to get the award? Take note that this effort is highly recognized and supported by no other than the United Nations and several women's group making the award one I would like to get too.

As of this posting, they have not announced or published the winners and what cases were involved. In the meantime, here's how judges could qualify;

Qualifications for Nomination

1. Judges from Municipal Trial Courts, Metropolitan Courts, Municipal Circuit Courts, Family Courts and Regional Trial Courts as well as Justices from the Sandiganbayan (specifically on sexual harassment cases), whether incumbent or have retired from service provided that, in case of the latter, he/she was incumbent at the time of nomination, who have handled cases involving violence against women (VAW) and have rendered a gender-sensitive decision, during the period January 2004 to December 2008, may be nominated.

2. The cases under consideration are those cases involving violence against women (VAW), such as rape (which includes marital rape, incestuous rape and statutory rape), domestic violence, physical injuries, acts of lasciviousness, sexual harassment, concubinage, parricide, and psychological and emotional abuse in legal separation and nullity of marriage, and other cases involving abuse of and violence inflicted on a woman or a girl-child.

3. The nominated judge/s must have shown sensitivity to women litigants in the conduct of trial of the case/s under consideration.

4. The nominated judge/s should: (1) exhibit integrity and moral character as a public servant and private citizen; (2) have neither record of convictions nor any pending charges at the time of the nomination and; (3) practice judicial decorum towards lawyers, litigants, witnesses and the public in general to establish his/her personal integrity.

Now I ask you what your opinion of gender sensitive decision involving VAW?