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127. The Committee would wish to receive, within a year, figures concerning
the number, age and sector of activity of working children and the measures
taken to reduce their number. It also wishes to receive information as to
measures taken to reduce the sexual exploitation of children and the number of
street children.
128. While the Committee recognizes, in relation to the issue of Filipino
overseas workers, that the Government cannot control such emigration, it
believes that more can and should be done to inform and educate existing and
potential workers about the difficulties they might face abroad and about
their rights.
129. The Committee urges the revision of all legislation which is inconsistent
with the full enjoyment of equal rights for women and recommends that stronger
judicial and other remedies be made available to redress the grievances of
women who suffer from domestic violence.
130. The Committee recommends that the Government institute an emergency plan,
which should include the identification of benchmarks, to expedite the
agrarian reform process and provide mechanisms for the speedy handling of
grievances concerning irregularities in the implementation of the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Programme. The Committee urges the reform of
tenancy legislation relating to peasants.
131. The Government should ensure that forced evictions are not carried out
except in truly exceptional circumstances, following consideration of all
possible alternatives and in full respect of the rights of all persons
affected. The Committee urges the Government to extend indefinitely the
moratorium on summary and illegal forced evictions and demolitions and to
ensure that all those under threat in these contexts are entitled to due
process. The Government should promote greater security of tenure in relation
to housing in accordance with the principles outlined in the Committee’s
General Comment No. 4 (1991) and should take the necessary measures, including
prosecutions wherever appropriate, to stop violations of laws such as
R.A. 7279. In general, the Committee urges that consideration be given to the
repeal of Presidential Decrees 772 and 1818 and recommends that all existing
legislation relevant to the practice of forced evictions should be reviewed so
as to ensure its compatibility with the provisions of the Covenant. The
Committee considers that, when relocating evicted or homeless persons or
families, attention should be paid to the availability of job opportunities,
schools, hospitals or health centres, and transport facilities in the areas
selected.
132. The Government should consider the establishment of an independent body
legally responsible for preventing illegal forced evictions, and for
monitoring, documenting and reviewing any ongoing or planned forced evictions.
The Presidential Commission on the Urban Poor could also be given an enhanced
mandate to protect housing rights, and to collect accurate and reliable
indicators and statistics relating to urban problems such as homelessness,
forced evictions, the numbers of those relocated, and the number of squatters.
133. The Committee recommends that the provisions of the Covenant be used as a
supplementary guide to the interpretation of relevant domestic legislation and
that all relevant domestic courts, tribunals and administrative and other