As chair of the Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women (RIACAT-VAWC) Caraga, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga together with the Regional Gender and Development Committee (RGADC) conducts series of activities for the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women.
Buntis Congress in Surigao City
The 6th Buntis Congress, an institutionalized activity every 18-day Campaign to End VAW celebration happened at Surigao City participated by 100 Pregnant Pantawid and Non-Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, December 12, 2023.
To maintain and sustain the level of awareness of the women sector, series of discussions were conducted: Maternal & Child Care by Maria Rosana M. Enanor, R.N., MAN, Maternal Health Focal Person of DOH Caraga, Red Flags on OSAEC and Online Safety and Protective Behavior by PMAJ Junalyn B Suan, PNP RWCPD and Salient Provision of RA 9262, and RA 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act by Ms. Novalil H. Tubo, SWO III of CSWDO Cabadbaran City.
The activity also includes free medical laboratory tests and consultation, gift-giving and raffle draw made possible by the support of the member-agencies of RIACAT-VAWC especially LGUs Surigao del Norte and Surigao City.
Orange Help Desk, “Sinina Ko, Pagbuot Ko” Exhibit
RIACAT-VAWC in partnership with the Regional Gender and Development Committee (RGADC), exhibits “Sinina Ko, Pagbuot Ko” and makes free legal services available through the Orange Help Desk at SM City Butuan, Cinema Square.
In line with the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, members of both committees are in full support, sending in legal officers from their offices to give free legal services, consultation, and essential notarial services. True to the commitment to serve and protect the people, especially the vulnerable sectors, in this campaign, women.
On the other hand, inspired by the exhibit “Don’t Tell Me How to Dress” and the nationwide campaign Respeto Naman which aims to wipe out all forms of violence against Women, RIACAT-VAWC held Sinina Ko, Pagbuot Ko Exhibit to showcase clothes which are only representations of the actual clothes worn by the victim-survivors when they were sexually harassed or assaulted alongside short stories of what had happened.
This clothing exhibition is challenging the culture of victim-blaming in the Philippines and wants to raise awareness that violence can happen no matter how one is dressed, may it be “too sexy” or just the usual day-to-day clothes worn by victims across all ages and social class. This throws out a challenge to misconception that what a woman or girl wears caused them to be violated.
DSWD Field Office Caraga took the opportunity to invite the youth to the exhibit and explain the problem of violence against women, especially with the notion that a woman’s dress is an invitation to violate her. This is to be able to amplify the advocacy through awareness in the hopes of encouraging the young to end this long-standing social problem.
Culmination of 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women
The 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women supports the Philippine government’s goal of protecting the human rights of women and girls by upholding its commitment to address all forms of gender-based violence as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution.
Member of RIACAT-VAWC and RGADC gather to culminate the completion of the Campaign, December 15, 2023 at the Philippine Ports Authority, Butuan City.
With this, DSWD Caraga through the Protective Services Division (PSD) Chief extends gratitude to the members of the committees for their untiring support and genuine service to amplify the campaign—VAW-lik Sigla, VAW-free Caraga—that encourages both duty-bearers and members of the community to take part in ending violence against vulnerable sectors.
Moreover, as it is also the 75th National Human Rights Consciousness Week Celebration, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Caraga OIC Regional Director, Atty. Ralpmar Oñez, emphasizes the core of human rights.
“True partners and advocates of human rights believe in the equality of all persons—that no one is better than the other—thus everyone gets to live a life just like the other,” Oñez said.
It may be the end of the 18-Day Campaign but the efforts of duty-bearers continue to Unite for a VAW-Free Community!
