Finally, the CEDAW Committee's Concluding Comments on the Philippines' 5th and 6th Periodic Reports 4 also noted these discriminatory provisions in P.D. 1083, which allow early marriages and forced marriages. We therefore urge this Forum to adopt Draft Recommendation no. 2, as herein modified: Governments should review and reform as appropriate any legislation, policy or practice that has a disproportionately negative effect on women from particular minority groups and sanctions cultural norms that are discriminatory to women or ultimately impede their effective participation in economic and social life, for example, by restricting their access to public and work places, employment opportunities, health services and educational institutions.5 We also urge this Forum to call on the Government of the Republic of the Philippines to include as an urgent legislative priority the review and amendment of the Presidential Decree no. 1083, to raise the age of marriage for both men and women and to remove all other provisions that allow early marriages and forced marriages. Thank you for your attention. Paragraph 11, Concluding Comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women: Philippines, August 25, 2006. 5 This proposed amendment must be read in relation to Draft Recommendation no. 30 that, inter aiia, the rev iew of laws and policies must not result in an indiscriminate attack on minority cultures. 4