Muslim senatorial candidate Atty. Adel Tamano today urged for more pro-women laws and more opportunities for women to work and serve in the government, saying that empowered women help form better societies and that the same are part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Nacionalista Party senatorial bet and spokesperson made this statement today, March 8, 2010, during the International Women’s Day celebration. Tamano attended the “Babae, Tagumpay Ka Ng Bayan!” rally at Mendiola, which was spearheaded by Gabriela.

“We should have more pro-women laws such as those that affect maternal health, gender equality, reproductive health rights, women trafficking and violence against women. Let us remember that these very issues are part of the MDGs, which we as a country have agreed to achieve by 2015,” Tamano stressed.

The MDGs are international development goals signed by and agreed upon by 192 United Nations-member states and at least 23 international organizations to be achieved by the year 2015. The eight goals are 1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, 2) achieve universal primary education, 3) promote gender equality and empowering women, 4) reduce child mortality, 5) improve maternal health, 6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, 7) ensure environmental sustainability and 8) develop a Global Partnership for Development.

“Unfortunately for our country, despite the fact that we have a female president, we still see numerous problems affecting women. Just take the case of the reported rampant trafficking of Filipinas to Malaysia. The government must put an immediate stop to that. Hopefully, if I get elected to the Senate, pro-women laws will definitely be on my priority list,” Tamano said.

Tamano, the son of the late Senator Mamintal Tamano and the first ever Filipino-Muslim scholar-graduate of Harvard Law School, also shared that the Islamic world has historically, contrary to the common view, progressive views on women empowerment.

“In fact, many aspects of Islam regarding the rights of women in marriage and their right to property, among others, were deemed revolutionary,” he explained.

The young lawyer also urged for more opportunities for women to serve in the government. Tamano said that of the 17,385 elected public officials from the national down to the local levels, only 3,106 are women. In the Senate, only 4 legislators are women while only 51 out of the 240 congressional seats are occupied by women.

“Women can be great leaders. They’re resourceful, courageous, hardworking and very loving towards their families. With these traits, women leaders can definitely pave the way for women’s advancement and empowerment,” Tamano said.