Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) is a widespread societal issue that infringes on women’s rights and fundamental liberties. To fight this issue a global campaign was conducted that calls on governments, civil society, women’s organizations, young people, the private sector, the media, and the entire UN system to join forces in addressing the global pandemic of violence against women and girls.
The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) aligned the Philippine Campaign with UNiTE by 2030 and sustaining the traction gained from the 2016 to 2021 theme, “VAW-free Community Starts with Me,” the Campaign focused on the new recurring banner “UNiTED for a VAW-free Philippines.” This theme aims to highlight the powerful impact of combining individual efforts towards a collaborative and united thrust towards a VAW-free Philippines.
SCWD’s 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and their Children Objectives
1. To increase awareness of VAWC among employees and concessionaries
2. To encourage women and children to fight for their rights.
3. Promote awareness on the forms of violence women and girls experience, provide information on the laws protecting women and girls, and feature VAW-r
related services that people can access and avail.
4. Gather insights into the general public’s level of awareness on VAW, specifically on the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act (Republic Act
9262), Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act 11313), and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (Republic Act 9208 as amended by Republic Act No.11862)
5. Highlight the gains and milestones in the efforts to prevent and address VAW and the Philippines’ participation in the global campaign to end it.
Activities Implemented During the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and Children
As part of the campaign, the SCWD GAD Committee wore the VAW-free Advocacy shirts (Fig 1.0), posted the UNiTED for VAW-free Philippines Advocacy tarpaulins and website banners (Fig 2.0), and distributed the advocacy caps (Fig 3.0), and leaflets that has the contents and information regarding R.A. 9626 or Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children (4). The Activity was conducted during the first week of the campaign.
The SCWD GAD Committee conducted a seminar (Fig 5.0) to employees and concessionaires regarding the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women and their Children. GAD Committee invited Attorney Magi S. Magana of Public Attorney’s Office as a guest speaker to discuss and inform the employees (Fig 6.0), and concessionaires on the laws under VAWC. Such laws are R.A. No.9262 or the Anti-violence Against Women and their Children Act, and R.A. No.11313 or also known as the Safe Space Act. GAD Committee also distributed meals (Fig 7.0) to seminar attendees, and tokens for the guest speaker (Fig 8.0). During the seminar the GAD Committee used the suggested film and song materials provided by the Philippine Commission on Women; Such materials are the “Babae Lumaban Ka” music, the VAW Puppet web series episode 1 “Labada”, The 10-day leave Dole 2016 video, the Violence Against Women though out the life Cycle, web hashtags, and the prayer to end VAWC.
