Schools take part in campaign vs violence against women and children

MANILA, Philippines—Public and private schools across the country are blowing the whistle to protest violence against women as part of a global campaign to end abuse of women and children.

In a memorandum issued Wednesday, Education Secretary Armin Luistro called on all DepEd offices and schools nationwide to support the 18-day campaign to end violence against women, a movement led by the Philippine Commission on Women and the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children.

The campaign starts on Friday, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (VAW), and will continue until December 12.

“The campaign focuses on information dissemination about VAW, especially the service of government  agencies and NGOs to address the needs of VAW victims and survivors.  It also highlights the worldwide call to end VAW,” Luistro said.

The memo, issued to bureau, regional and local school officials and heads of both public and private schools, called on DepEd offices and schools to hold VAW awareness programs in line with the theme “Unite: Stop VAW Now!”

The school community is also encouraged to take part in the simultaneous whistle-blowing activity at 8 a.m. on December 12 to register nationwide support to the campaign against women abuse.