S. Korea’s N Tower lights up in orange to raise awareness vs. gender-based violence

Orange Your Icon: Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega with Philippine Embassy Officers and Staff doing the end Violence Against Women (VAW) sign in front of the N Seoul Tower (more famously known as the Namsan Tower) illuminated in orange to kickstart the observance of the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW. (Seoul PE photo)

SEOUL, 13 December 2021 —The Philippine Embassy in Korea participated in the Orange Your Icon Advocacy, in observance of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW), by illuminating the iconic Namsan Tower (N Seoul Tower) in orange on 25 November 2021.

With this year’s theme, “Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now!,” the Embassy initiated the turning of the Korean icon orange to remind the community that violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace, as well as the fulfillment of women and girls’ human rights.

The lighting of the tower was also held to increase awareness to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world, calling for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy, and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions.

Throughout the 18-day campaign from 25 November to 12 December, the Embassy raised awareness on the importance of a whole-of-society approach in ensuring safe spaces for everyone. As duty-bearers of the Philippine government serving in the Republic of Korea, Embassy Personnel were reminded of their responsibility in upholding a VAW-free community and in taking part in protecting spaces from gender based-sexual harassment.

The Embassy’s officials and staff also wore orange to further support and complement the activity.  The N Tower Lighting was shared with all relevant government organizations and diplomatic missions in Korea.

As a culminating activity of the campaign, Embassy personnel attended a Safe Spaces Act seminar conducted by Mr. Kim Harold Peji of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) on 9 December 2021. Mr. Peji, a Supervising GAD Specialist of the PCW and the speaker for the event, was instrumental in aligning Post’s GAD activities to fit this year’s theme, with the forum focusing on avoiding harassment in shared public spaces online and in various social media.

The forum was organized in keeping with the provisions of the Safe Spaces Act which states that "Employers or other persons of authority, influence or moral ascendancy in a workplace shall have the duty to prevent, deter, or punish the performance of acts of gender-based sexual harassment in the workplace by providing measures to prevent gender-based sexual harassment in the workplace, such as the conduct of anti-sexual harassment seminars." END

Officers and Staff of the Philippine Embassy in the Republic of Korea attend the Safe Spaces Act seminar. Mr. Kim Harold Peji of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) was the forum’s speaker. (Seoul PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.seoulpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philembassy-seoul.com or https://www.facebook.com/PHinKorea/.