PH Embassy in Brunei Joins Observance of 18-Day VAW Campaign

Women participants of the webinar in a “group photo” with the Speakers – Nur Judy Bindti Abdullah, Founder and Executive Director of Project Women (3rd from right)), and Ms. Pacita Fortin, Psychosocial Support Team Lead of the Babaeng BiyaHero Campaign of the Safe and Fair Philippines (4th from right). (Brunei PE photo)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 03 December 2021 — The Philippine Embassy in Brunei Darussalam joined the nation-wide observation of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) with a Gender and Development (GAD) webinar titled  “Sis, Kamusta Ka Na?... A Gender Responsive Approach to Mental Health and Well-being of Women OFWs in Brunei Darussalam” held on 28 November 2021.

The webinar aimed to raise awareness on the importance of mental health and well-being of women-OFWs, as well as the rights of women migrant workers, especially during the pandemic.

The speakers invited are professionals and experts in the field of migrant women’s rights and their state of mental health and well-being. Ms. Pacita “Bing” Fortin, a social worker by profession, and the Psychosocial Support Team Lead of the Babaeng BiyaHero Campaign of the Safe and Fair Philippines initiative, delivered a presentation on the importance of mental health and well-being of migrant workers and ways to overcome depression, anxiety and stress through psychological first aid. Ms. Fortin’s presentation also focused on the processes, do’s and don'ts, and important factors considered when providing psychological first aid to distressed migrant workers.

Ms. Nur Judy Abdullah, Founder and Executive Director of Project Women and Girls Development, a not-for-profit social enterprise in Brunei Darussalam, discussed the rights of women migrant workers and the corresponding legal bases embodied in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the 2007 ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers and the 2018 ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. She also discussed the process of seeking help from government and non-government organizations in Brunei.

Ms. Melissa Mendizabal, Labor Attaché of Brunei PE, presented on the state of OFWs in Brunei during the 1st and 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, and the support services provided by the Embassy, particularly the POLO-OWWA offices.

Women-participants to the webinar were composed mostly of semi-skilled and household service workers. They expressed appreciation to the Embassy for organizing the event, noting that it elevated their awareness on the importance of knowing their rights, seeking psychological first aid when needed, and being aware of the proper procedures for reporting violence and abuse to the proper authorities. END

For more information, visit https://www.bruneipe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassybrunei.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBrunei/ or https://twitter.com/PHinBrunei