eng - World Organisation Against Torture

Discrimination Act (Republic Act No.7610) providing for the elimination ofthe worst forms of child labour and affordingstronger protection for the workingchild;(c) The adoption, in 2004, of theRepublic Act No. 9255, which allows illegitimatechildren to use the surnameof their father, amending the FamilyCode of the Philippines (article 176 ofExecutive Order No. 209);(d) The adoption, in 2004, of the Anti-Violence against Women and TheirChildren Act (Republic Act No. 9262)which defines violence against womenand their children, providing for protectivemeasures for victims and penaltiesfor the perpetrators of this violence;(e) The adoption of other legal or administrativemeasures to promote the implementationof the Convention, such asthe ratification of international conventionsand protocols referred tothroughout these concluding observations.C. Factors and difficultiesimpeding the implementation of theConvention4. The Committee acknowledges the particularnature of the geographical configurationof the State party, which iscomprised of over 7,100 islands, and thechallenges faced by the State party inimplementing adequate programmes andservices for children living in rural andremote areas of the country which are inmany instances isolated and very difficultto reach.5. The Committee also acknowledges thatthe natural disasters caused by tropicalstorms and several destructive typhoonsat the end of 2004 have devastated theinfrastructure of several provinces of thecountry giving rise to a growing numberof economic and social difficulties.Domestic instability caused by, interalia, political uncertainties and rebelmovements, has adversely impactedoverall human rights development in theState party.58