Cebu City Council backs campaign to end violence vs women

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has expressed its strongest support in the observance of the “18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women” which is to commence on November 25 to December 12, 2021.

The council supported the need to highlight the plight of women migrant workers (WMW), their issues and concerns, rights and contributions on the premise that it is the government’s legal and moral duty that policy responses, guidelines and programs should be gender-responsive and inclusive of migrant women.

Councilor Alvin Dizon sponsored a resolution regarding the matter which was approved by the council Wednesday.

Dizon said, in order to concretize the government’s commitment to address all forms of violence against women and implement the goal to protect the human rights of women as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution, other laws, policies and programs, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, of which the Philippines is a signatory, Proclamation No. 1172 series of 2006 declared November 25 to December 12 of every year as the “18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women.”

The said Proclamation mandates that all departments and agencies of the national government, including state colleges and universities, local government units (LGUs) and all other sectors of society are enjoined to actively support and participate in protection of human rights of women against violence and other forms of discrimination.

“The current COVID-19 pandemic put women and girls at increased risk of violence, especially our women migrant workers, exposing the reality that the ‘pandemic is not only a health crisis, but also a crisis with detrimental effects on freedom from violence and harassment, employment, income, social protection, access to services and access to justice’,” said Dizon.

The council also requested the Office of the Mayor to implement City Ordinance No. 2633 also known as “An Ordinance Providing for Coordinated Quality Services for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) of Cebu City, Providing Funds Therefor and For Other Purposes”.

The ordinance authored also by Dizon was passed last August 25, 2021.

It was intended to concretize the commitment of the city government to provide a system and mechanism within the local government to strengthen coordination among frontline service delivery providers both at the local and national level and increase access to quality services to respond to the issues and needs of OFWs especially WMW who are victims of gender-based violence. —GMR (FREEMAN)