CATW-AP Continues Partnership with the Government of Canada and WRAAP from Ilocos Sur to the Province of Quezon in addressing Violence Against Women

From September 1, 2023 to July 31, 2024, the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) implemented the project Ensuring Functionality of Gender-based Violence (GBV) in Vigan and Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.  This followed the earthquake and typhoons that rocked the province and claimed damages in the lives and livelihood of Ilocanos.  The Government of Canada, through PBSP-Women’s Rights Action and Advocacy Project (WRAAP) can be seen in the first photo monitoring the project.

As a result of the partnership, the ordinance “Institutionalizing the Annual Search for the Most Functional Barangay Violence Against Women and Children Desk in the City of Vigan, Providing Funds Thereof” is now on second reading in the City of Vigan.  Two gender-based violence (GBV) watchgroups were established.  A total of eighty four (84) frontliners from the city, municipal and barangay local governments of Vigan and Narvacan benefited from trainings on basic gender and development orientation, climate crisis, gender-based violence laws and survivor-centered approach to cases. Similarly, a total of two (200) hundred women community leaders benefited from capacity-building activities on GBV laws, psychological first aid and survivor-centred approach to cases.

A total of two thousand and five hundred (2,500) posters were disseminated and made visible in public spaces in the two areas of Ilocos Sur.  As a result, there was at least 18% increase in reporting of cases as of April 2024.

A graduate of the CATW-AP’s youth camps, Vigan City Councilor Glendale Benzon, was pivotal in the success of the project.

In the next six months, CATW-AP and GAC-PBSP-WRAAP will bring the project to Tagkawayan, Quezon, as municipality’s LGU expressed strong commitment to the elimination of all forms of GBV/VAW, especially trafficking, in the LGU representatives’ visit to CATW-AP Office.