Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 25) — The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), and SM Cares banded together to launch a campaign to raise awareness on gender-based violence.
Different SM Malls lit up in orange as part of the campaign. At the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay, the iconic globe displayed a message calling on mallgoers to \”unite to end violence against women (VAW).\”
The PCW said psychological and physical violence are among the most prevalent forms of VAW in the country.
For the UNFPA, the Department of Education (DepEd) will play a key role in bringing VAW cases down in the Philippines.
\”Prevention, it needs to start at very early stage,\” said UNFPA Philippines Country Representative Leila Joudane.
\”We need to work with both boys and girls. It’s very important to engage men and boys to change these social norms,\” she added.
Some businesses also vowed to continue protecting workers against VAW, whether it be from fellow employees or customers. SM said it conducted a nationwide orientation for employees on gender-based sexual harassment.
\”We have a mechanism for reporting, and of course, our security guards are also well-trained to spot if there would be harassments,\” said SM Cares Program Director for Women Pearly Joan Jayagan Turley.
“They have been trained that they must not commit as well. ‘Yung mga pagsisipol lang sa mga kababaihan [Those whistling on women],” she added.
