Women Play Important Role in Crime Prevention, Gender Awareness

”Kababaihan: Sama–samang Makialam upang Krimen at Korupsyon ay Hadlangan.”

This was the theme of a forum conducted by the  National Police Commission – CAR, in partnership with the Outstanding Women Leaders of Baguio and the Philippine Public Safety College – Cordillera Administrative Region Training Center  for barangay women folks, police personnel and criminology students.

Hosted by the University of the Cordilleras, the forum highlighted the importance of the women sector in crime prevention and gender awareness.

The participants were provided with a regional situationer on violence against women and their children and a sharing of experiences in handling VAWC cases and helping survivor of violence. There was also sharing of realities inside the Women and Children Protection Unit of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and on the social implications of violence against women.

The Magna Carta of Women, salient points of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti – VAWC Act and Republic Act  7877 or the Anti – Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 were also discussed.

Resource persons for the forum were lawyer Febhay Bayon from the Public Attorney’s Office of Tublay, Benguet; BGHMC Registered Social Worker April Lippi Sudango, Gulia Limpin,  lawyers Dexter Diwas and Mary Grace Valdez of the Commission on Human Rights, CARTC Information Officer SPO4 Bernard Briones and  a representative from the Women and Children Protection Desk of the Police Regional Office Cordillera.

In her keynote message,  Dr. Dem Mina Mamaat, licensed psychologist with a doctoral degree in Educational Management, outlined the importance of the forum for the Filipino citizens especially women to be armed with the knowledge on the protection of women’s rights and welfare as well as the legal basis.

There are good laws (on women’s right and welfare) in the country, it is just on how to protect (Filipino women) and implement the laws, he said.

“Iba ang makialam sa may pakialam” (there is a difference between meddling and being concerned), Mamaat added.

Mamaat also advised women to maintain  self – respect for themselves, and to come out if a victim of violence and not be afraid of any social stigma or backlash.

The women’s forum was a culminating activity for the NAPOLCOM – Cordillera  led 2018 National Crime Prevention Week. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)