DSWD Field Office Caraga is conducting a 5-day virtual Women-Friendly Spaces (WFS) Management Training from October 25-29, 2021, participated by the Social Workers from different LGUs in the region.

Spearheaded by the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD), the training aims to address the specific needs of women affected by the disasters and to provide a more organized and gender-responsive way of delivering services through the provision of wide range services. Among the topics discussed on the 2nd day were Gender Sensitivity, Women’s Rights, and Understanding Gender-based Violence. Meanwhile, additional topics were laid to be discussed for the remaining 3 days are Perspectives, Approaches and Principles in Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, and Initial Psychosocial Support to Survivors among others. Different activities were also integrated to encapsulate the learning.

WFS is anchored on the premise that in humanitarian crises, women, especially, pregnant and lactating women, women with disabilities, household heads, young women, have immediate and specific needs requiring targeted actions.

During the discussion on Gender Sensitivity, it was highlighted that in meeting the needs of the crisis victims, it is deemed important to look at it through the gender lens. “Through it (gender lens), we can understand how men, women, boys, and girls are affected differently by emergencies; it can help us identify appropriate actions” Ms. Suzet Joy A. Dalisan, Gender Sensity Resource Speaker, underscored during the discussion.