In line with the bureau's commitment to the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW), the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) conducted a hybrid seminar on 12 December 2023 in Quezon City.
DA-BAR assistant director Joell H. Lales underscored the importance of cultivating awareness and understanding women's violence to reduce its prevalence in society actively.
Atty. Kristy Jane M. Balino, deputy director for Legal Affairs Department at Arellano University, served as the resource speaker and delved into the salient provisions of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act and the Safe Spaces Act. Beyond the legal insights, her presentation also encompassed the historical context of women's discrimination, Filipino cultural perspectives on such issues, international counterparts of the anti-VAWC law, and the country's global commitments to anti-VAWC.
Atty. Balino defined gender equality and the role of the government in implementing the anti-VAWC law. She explained, “Gender equality does not mean women and men are the same; gender equality means that women and men have the same rights, responsibilities, and privileges under the law.”
She further highlighted, “The reality is, historically, we were born into a society that practiced gender discrimination and gender-based violence. We were culturally programmed to accept it as okay or the norm and our ancestors were not at fault. Now, the government's role is to try to cleanse that culture, addressing the lack of information and education.”
The VAWC campaign, observed annually from November 25 to December 12 in compliance with Proclamation No. 1172, Series of 2006, serves as a crucial platform for the Philippine government to intensify discussions, foster awareness of violence against women and girls alongside local and national women's groups to achieve the recurring theme from 2022-2027, which is to establish a “United for a VAW-free Philippines”.