BUTUAN CITY – Several activities conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga highlighted the celebration of women’s month. This year’s celebration of Women’s Month carries the theme, “Kababaihan: Gabay sa Pagtahak sa Tuwid na Daan”.

DSWD Caraga regional director Minda B. Brigoli said the field office also initiated activities for the month-long celebration.  She said as early as February 14, 2013, DSWD Caraga started its campaign against violence on women and children by staging a 15-minute break from work for the workers to dance simultaneously the Break the Chain dance of the One Billion Rising advocacy . Other activities of DSWD included engendering GAD through harmonized sectoral meeting; gender sensitivity training to 60 staff; integration of Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere (MOVE) topic in DSWD regional general assembly.

Some activities participated in by DSDW staff and other partners were the walk for cause/hataw as kick-off activity initiated by Gender and Development Coordinating Committee (GADCC) Caraga; The kick-off activity of the Women’s Month was participated in by partner agencies; KALANDRAKAS, a showcase of various products and services catered to everybody, particularly, women; candidates forum where mayoralty and vice mayoralty candidates were asked on their platforms for women; and culmination program.

The 2013 Women’s Month/Day Celebration is pursuant to: Proclamation No. 224 s. 1988 declaring the first week of March each year as Women’s Week and March 8 as Women’s Rights and International Peace Day; Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988 providing for the observance of the Month of March as Women’s Role in History Month; and Republic Act (RA) 6949 s. 1990 declaring March 8 of every year as National Women’s Day.