Following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) highlighted on Wednesday its programs and projects to protect women and children from any form of abuse.
The DSWD is the lead agency for Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children (IACVAWC).
“Through the shared efforts of the members of the inter-agency both from the national, regional and local level, we continue to harmonize initiatives and build stronger systems to protect the rights and dignity of women and their children across the country,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Elaine Fallarcuna said in a Malacañang press briefing.
According to Fallarcuna, they are continuously strengthening their Violence against Women (VAW) Referral Service to ensure victim-survivors have access to social support, legal assistance, medical services, and temporary shelter.
“These efforts are bolstered by our ongoing work to develop a national service directory that maps available services for VAWC victim-survivors and ensures they are accessible at the local level,” Fallarcuna said.
Fallarcuna added they are “advancing a harmonized data system to improve the collection and analysis of VAW-related information across all agencies.”
This initiative is in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to reduce the retraumatization of victim-survivors by streamlining their interactions with different service providers.
“This system, once fully implemented will not only enhance case management but also form evidence-based policy development and program planning,” the DSWD official said.
The IACVAWC is also prioritizing education and advocacy campaigns such as the annual 18-day campaign to end VAW and increase awareness among all levels of society and drive collective action.
It also supports “Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere” program in engaging men as allies in fighting gender-based violence.
The DSWD conducts programs and services including counselling sessions for the rehabilitation of perpetrators of domestic violence in a bid to transform their abusive behavior and break the cycle of violence.
“This program promotes healing and prevention, addressing the root causes of domestic violence,” Fallarcuna said.
The DSWD have centers and residential care facilities nationwide, providing 24-hour temporary or long-term shelter for victims of VAWC.
Sustainable Livelihood Program such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) were also offered to empower VAW survivors by enhancing their socioeconomic capacity to help them rebuild their lives and gain economic independence.
Currently, there are over 39,619 barangays nationwide with VAW desks, serving as the first line of responders to cases of abuse, Fallarcuna said. | PND
