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20240301-women-rights-advocates-03012024

Sherrie Ann Torres

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/20240301-women-rights-advocates-03012024.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>CHR, women’s groups and women’s rights advocates join 9th Purple Action Day march in Quezon City to mark start of Women’s Month. Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News</div>March is “National Women&#x27;s Month,” and groups advocating for women’s rights press for their stronger role and protection from all forms of abuse.During Friday’s “Dapat All Equal” Oxfam Pilipinas event in a Quezon City mall, participants posted their personal wishes for a stronger women participation in nation-building and protection from all sorts of discrimination, harassment and abuse.Zenaida Gesta, a  55- year-old mother of 6, was among those who posted her personal wish. In 2017, Zenaida’s husband abandoned them for another woman.Her husband’s infidelity and refusal to support them were clear acts of economic and psychological abuse, she said.&quot;Pinutol nya yun (suporta) pero nakiusap ako sa kanya kasi may nag aaral pa sa amin… nahirapan kami kung saan kami kukuha ng pang-araw-araw. Pasalamat na lang kami kasi merong foundation na tumulong sa amin doon... like yung bigas, sila nag-support sa buong (Barangay) Payatas (Quezon City),” Zenaida said.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/01/23/groups-celebrate-national-womens-month-seek-justice-for-women" id="isPasted">Groups celebrate National Women&#x27;s Month, seek justice for women | ABS-CBN News</a> </div>“Sobrang hirap (to be a solo parent) kasi ikaw na tatay, ikaw pa nanay... ang dami kong pinasukan para kahit papano meron kaming pang-araw-araw na pangtustos... andyan din mga anak ko kahit paano nagtulung-tulong,” she reminisced.Today, Zenaida helps abandoned women in having financial freedom.For years, groups advocating for women’s rights insist, women deserve a safe and decent job, social protection, as well as protection against all forms of abuse, and a safer environment.An Oxfam study noted that some women work for as long as 13 hours as against men’s eight-hour work.A 2023 Philippine Statistics Authority data meanwhile reported that maternal deaths in the country increased from 2018’s 1,616 cases to 2,478 in 2020.The PSA data also stated that 13 percent of women aged 15 to 49 experienced physical violence at aged 15, and 4 percent of women of this age bracket have experienced sexual violence.Data released by the Philippine National Police meantime, reported its received volume of varying forms of women abuse at 13,128 last year.  In the PNP report, Metro Manila topped the regions with reported cases at 1,103.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/1/ph-kicks-off-women-s-month-with-march-calling-for-more-investments-in-women-1205" id="isPasted">PH kicks off Women&#x27;s Month with &#x27;Purple march&#x27; | ABS-CBN News</a> </div>This is followed by Region IVA or CALABARZON with 889 cases; Region 7 or Central Visayas, with 821 and Region 6 or Western Visayas, with 793 cases.Maria Kristine Josefina Balmes of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), however, believes that the number of abused women is actually higher, since only one in every three violated women report their experience to the PNP, as stated in the PSA report.“Pinakamataas pa rin sa klase ng violence ang violence against women, yung intimate partner relationship,” said Balmes, PCW’s Deputy Executive Director for Operations.“At ang pinakamataas na klase ng violence against women na napapa-report maliban sa physical ay economic abuse. Kasi yung economic abuse, kasama rin dyan yung mental abuse. Kasi ginagawa ng mga perpetrator, ng mga ka-partner nila na perpetrators na pang-blackmail sa mga asawang babae, yung suporta o pagbibigay ng suporta sa mga anak,” Balmes added.In today’s society, men continue to dominate the labor force, according to Balmes.But in the Office of Civil Defense, spokesman Edgar Posadas said they have more women personnel now, which resulted in faster and more efficient disaster response.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/blogs/business/03/13/23/on-womens-month-help-raise-up-and-embrace-women-owned-businesses" id="isPasted">On Women’s Month, help raise up and embrace women-owned businesses | ABS-CBN News</a> </div>“Mas organized, mas pursigido, yung kanilang  thinking lalo na sa pagpaplano. Mas focused. Mas determined. Kasi, let’s face it. It used to be a man’s world… it’s not a competition between genders but it’s actually complementing yung perspective yung isang babae in DRRM (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management), napaka-importante ngayon lalo na sa mga pagpaplano. Sila nagbibigay ng perspective,” Posadas said.

March is “National Women's Month,” and groups advocating for women’s rights press for their stronger role and protection from all forms of abuse.

March is “National Women's Month,” and groups advocating for women’s rights press for their stronger role and protection from all forms of abuse.

Stronger protection, equality sought for women

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Stronger protection, equality sought for women

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 01, 2024 10:01 PM PHT

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Updated Mar 10, 2025 01:50 PM PHT

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