The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday launched an 18-day campaign to serve as a critical platform to raise awareness, mobilize action, and promote stronger multisectoral collaboration to eliminate all forms of violence against women (VAW).
The campaign is a nationwide initiative held annually by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) with support from the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children (IACVAWC).
In her message, Justice Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez said the campaign is not merely an event but a solemn vow of the agency to protect the dignity and humanity of every person.
“From November 25 to December 12, we come together with one purpose, to break the chain of silence, to amplify the voices of those who have been silenced, and to demand an end to the violence that shadows the lives of women and children every day,” Gutierrez said.
Through the department’s Justice and Action lecture series, she said they are strengthening the legal framework to protect survivors and hold perpetrators accountable.
Citing the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Gutierrez revealed that “1 out of 5 women have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual violence by their current or most recent intimate partner.”
She added that 8,055 cases classified under Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children (AVAWC) Act of 2004 were reported to the Philippine National Police in 2023.
