28 May 2014 - The Philippine Embassy in Rome held “Usapang Kababaihan”, a forum to foster gender sensitivity and protection of the rights of women on April 03. 

The forum, consisting of two parts, first featured a lecture given by Ms. Charito Basa of the Filipino Women’s Council on the prevention of violence against women.

Ms. Basa stated that violence against women is not limited to physical violence.  Such violence may also be sexual, emotional, mental, verbal, or economic in nature.

This was followed by a practical demonstration and exercise on basic self-defensefor women led by Ms. Vilma Ramos of the Women Self Defence Organization and Guba Doce Pares. 

Ms. Ramos showed practical manoeuvres for women to defend themselves against physical aggression.

Philippine Ambassador to Italy Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr. in his remarks cited recent World Bank data showing the Philippines as a world leader in gender equality, particularly in the fields of legislation, management and government.  He said that the 2013 Global Gender Gap Report also named the Philippines as Asia’s best performing country in terms of gender equality.

The Ambassador, however, said that Filipinos should continue to foster gender equality and respect for women by eliminating all forms of violence against women.  END