Men as advocates in fighting Violence Against Women (VAW)?  Why not ?

Building a network of male advocates of Violence Against Women  is one of the thrusts of the Regional Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking –  Violence Against Women and Children (RIACAT-VAWC) for this year.  The MOVE or Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere is the name of the organization of principled men whose members dedicate themselves to be actively involved in eliminating all forms of discrimination against women, particularly violence against women.

Virginia Idano, chief of Operations Division of the DSWD Field Office Eight which chairs the RIACAT-VAWC, under the leadership of Regional Director Leticia Corillo,  emphasized in the 2nd quarter meeting of the RIACAT-VAWC that member-agencies have to organize their respective MOVE chapters.  She said that MOVE is part of the national efforts to remove VAW , and that it was convened by men from various organizations, including the government, private sector, academe and non-government organizations through the initiative of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women on November 27, 2006. Federico Pagayanan, president of the MOVE, DSWD Field Office Eight chapter, oriented the RIACAT-VAWC on the MOVE in same meeting held late June at the Tacloban City – run Women’s Center along Paterno Extension in Tacloban City. He encouraged agency representatives to replicate the MOVE, especially in male-dominated agencies.

Pagayanan said that for many years, most efforts found to be concentrating on the female victims and those at risk of victimization, but overlooked one component of VAW – the men, either as the main perpetrators of or advocates in fighting violence against women. He added that men has potentials to change and can be agents of change; hence, men should be discouraged to use violence and speak out against VAW, instead.

On the other hand, Idano underscored the need for local government units to come up with a functional IACAT-VAWC at their level.  She mentioned some of them whose IACAT-VAWC is working, namely that of Tacloban City, Calbayog City, Allen in Northern Samar, and Maydolong in Eastern Samar.