BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved a resolution declaring November 25 to December 12 every year as the 18-day campaign to end violence against women in Baguio city to help in empowering the stakeholders to strengthen the annual celebration to achieve its overall objective of ending violence against women.
The resolution authored by outgoing Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated despite the presence of various instruments, extensive discrimination against women continues to exist where a total of 15,749 cases of violations of Republic Act (RA) 9262 were filed before the Philippine National Police (PNP) from January to June 2017.
The resolution opted that the International Day against Trafficking of Women and Children is celebrated every December 12 to raise awareness among all stakeholders on the prevention and suppression of human trafficking, particularly children and women.
In 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), otherwise known as the International Bill of Rights for Women, was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and the same was ratified by the Philippines on July 15, 1980.
The resolution pointed out that the CEDAW is an international treaty and its provisions have been incorporated into a national law adopting the highest standards for women’s rights.
According to the resolution, RA 9262, also known as an act defining violence against women and children, providing for protective measures for victims, prescribing penalties therefore, and for other purposes, was approved on March 8, 2004 with a policy that values the dignity of women and children and guarantees full respect for their human rights.
The resolution stipulated that Proclamation No. 1172, series of 2006 officially declared November 25 to December 12 every year as the 18-day campaign to end violence against women to effectively and efficiently address all forms of violence against women and to strengthen the administration’s call to protect the human rights of women as enshrined in the provisions of the 1987 Constitution.
Since 1991, the Philippines has joined the international community in the observance of the 16-day campaign to end violence against women from November 25 which is the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women to December 10, the international Human Rights Day, to stress that violence against women is a human rights violation as well.
The local legislative body approved the declaration of the 18-day campaign against violence against women but the funds to be used for the annual celebration will be legislated through an ordinance to be filed by local legislators in the coming months so that the city government will have an institutionalized celebration of the important international event.
The annual celebration of the 18-day campaign to end violence against women will be spearheaded by the City Social Welfare and Development, being the lead city government department in the implementation of social welfare programs and projects geared towards improving the welfare of the members of the marginalized sectors in the different parts of the city.
By Dexter A. See
