Features OpiniOn Rise for freedom

VALENTINE’S Day is not just a day of hearts. On Valentine’s Day in 2012, a global mass action was launched to end violence against women. The call to action was made amid reports that one in three women worldwide would be beaten or raped in her lifetime. In 2012, the global population stood at seven billion – meaning over one billion women and girls were expected to experience various forms of violence in that year. The One Billion Rising movement was born.

The Philippines, which has elected two female presidents and two vice presidents, recognized the problem much earlier. Republic Act 9262, the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act, was enacted in 2004 when the country was led by a woman. RA 9262 has tough provisions against domestic violence.

As in most laws in this country, however, the problem lies in the implementation. Since the passage of RA 9262, there have been numerous complaints about barangay officials who refuse to carry out their mandate stipulated in the law to serve as front-liners in assisting victims of domestic violence. Many women especially in impoverished communities are also unaware of the law and the protection it offers to victims.

The pandemic lockdowns aggravated the problem, with advocacy groups saying reported cases nationwide tripled in 2020. In 2021, over 12,000 cases of violence against women and their children were recorded nationwide, with 5,339 more reported in the first six months of 2022 alone. Advocacy groups believe the actual numbers are much higher as many women are unwilling or unable to report their ordeal and seek help.

An 18-day campaign was launched last year, from Nov. 25 – the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – to Dec. 12, Human Rights Day, to promote mass action in ending the problem. The United Nations is supporting the One Billion Rising campaign. With united efforts globally, the UN aims to curb the problem significantly by 2030.

Beyond “flash mobs” and other creative forms of political activism, ending violence against women and children calls for concerted action among multiple government agencies and sectors of society. Filipino women who work overseas face heightened risk of physical, sexual and psychological violence. Domestic helper Jullebee Ranara was just the latest in an ever-growing list of Filipino migrant workers who were abused and brutally murdered by their foreign employers.

For 2023, the call to action of One Billion Rising is “rise for freedom.” Despite some progress in fighting violence against women, confronting the problem remains challenging in the Philippines, and even more so in other parts of the planet where women are still treated like second-class citizens. A more aggressive, pro-active approach is needed for this freedom to be attained. (Philstar. com)