QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE )conducted a solidarity walk activity entitled, “United for a VAW-Free Philippines Solidarity Walk” on November 26 (Saturday), 6 – 9:00 am at the Kartilya ng Katipunan Shrine, Ermita, Manila.

The activity aims to raise awareness on the campaign against Violence Against Women (VAW) and the DOLE’s role in ending gender-based violence and sexual harassment.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence—with the theme, “United for a VAW-free Philippines”.

DOLE, as one of the member agencies of the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their Children (IAC-VAWC),1 is one with the advocacy of eliminating all forms of violence against women and their children.

The specific duties and responsibilities of DOLE as a member of the IACVAWC is to ensure the implementation of Section 43 of the Republic Act No. 9262 (Entitlement to Leave), also to monitor, document, and report cases of VAWC specifically on children forced to work by their perpetrators. They are also to conduct public awareness and activities to prevent victimization of women and children, and to make available employment and livelihood programs that suit the skills of women victim-survivors of abuse to facilitate their recovery and reintegration into the communities.