PH Consulate General in Sydney Emphasizes Role of Filipino Community in Raising Awareness to End Violence Against Women  

SYDNEY 01 December 2023 – In view of the 18-day Campaign to end Violence against Women (VAW), the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney held a two-day forum on 24 and 28 November 2023 with the active participation of Filipino community leaders from Lakas Filipina and the Australian Filipino Women Support Group Inc (AFWomen), and local media representatives.

In her remarks on the first day, Philippine Consul General in Sydney Charmaine Rowena C. Aviquivil emphasized the important role of the Filipino-Australian community in raising awareness and disseminating information on existing Philippine and Australian mechanisms and laws to end incidences of violence against women. She stated that ending violence against women will only be possible through a whole-of-society approach and participation of everyone. 

In addition, Consul General shared that almost one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence, excluding sexual harassment, from an intimate or non-partner or both at least once in their life, according to UN Women. 

Sydney City Police Area Command (Sydney City PAC) representatives Sergeant Ivan O’Donnell and Senior Sergeant Nathan Carroll, Philippine-registered lawyer and solicitor in Australia Atty. Jessie Icao, and Philippine-registered lawyer and Australian Awards Scholar Atty. Mohammad Jamalul discussed the existing laws and mechanisms to protect victims of domestic violence and penalize offenders. 

The 18-day Campaign to end Violence against Women, which is observed annually from November 25 to December 12, is based on the international campaign 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence that begins every November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends on December 10, the International Human Rights Day. 

In 2006, the Philippine government extended the campaign to 18 days in view of the signing of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children in 2000. END

For more information, visit https://www.sydneypcg.dfa.gov.ph/, https://www.facebook.com/PHLinSydney, or https://www.instagram.com/phlinsydney/.