Philippine Embassy Establishes VAW Desk To Support Filipino Abuse Victims in Japan
Philippine Ambassador to Japan, H.E. Mylene J. Garcia-Albano (4th from right) officially inaugurated the VAW Desk at the Consular and Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Section of the Philippine Embassy on 12 December 2023, under the Gender and Development (GAD) Program and in commemoration of the 18-day campaign to end violence against women (VAW) from 25 November to 12 December. Members of the Embassy’s GAD Implementation team were present to witness the inauguration ceremony.
TOKYO, 12 December 2024 – To conclude the Philippine Embassy’s participation in the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) from 25 November to 12 December, Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano inaugurated the VAW desk at the Embassy’s Consular and Assistance-to-Nationals Section.
“We need to treat Filipino women in Japan who are victims of various forms of abuse with dignity and respect. The VAW desk at the Consular and ATN Section will provide them with a safe and private facility so we can assist them immediately, and with the appropriate care and attention they need,” said the Ambassador.
Based on the estimates of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and statistics released by the Japanese government, approximately 1 in 3 women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence.
The establishment of the VAW Desk at the Embassy is designed to provide a dedicated physical set-up and reporting mechanism for Filipino victims of VAW. This initiative was implemented under the auspices of the Embassy’s Gender and Development (GAD) Program.
The 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) is an annual advocacy movement in the Philippines, first launched in 2006 through Proclamation No. 1172, which designated 25 November to 12 December as the period for intensified efforts to address violence against women. This campaign aligns with the global observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 and culminates on December 12, marking the adoption month of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Republic Act 9710, also known as the Magna Carta of Women mandates the establishment of Violence Against Women’s Desk in every barangay (village) to ensure that violence against women cases are fully addressed in a gender-responsive manner. Philippine Embassies and Consulates General worldwide have gradually been setting up VAW Desks to provide this crucial support to Filipino communities under their jurisdictions.
Under the guidance of Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano (left), a Violence Against Women (VAW) Desk was established in the Consular and Assistance-to-Nationals Section of the Philippine Embassy on 12 December 2024. The VAW Desk is a dedicated physical set-up and reporting mechanism for Filipino victims of VAW. This initiative was implemented under the auspices of the Embassy’s Gender and Development (GAD) Program.
