QC launches Safe Cities Advocacy Expo

• Source:http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/231450676863/qc-launches-safe-cities-advocacy-expo
• Monday, December 21, 2015

(QC PAISO/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY, 21 Dec. (PIA)--The Quezon City government is firming up efforts to promote women safety and security against street harassment and sexual violence in public spaces.

Together with the United Nations Equity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development, the city government recently launched Safe Cities Advocacy Expo, where they agreed to cooperate for the accelerated implementation of programs that will ensure women safety, especially in Quezon City.

The partnership also served as a fitting gesture to celebrate the culmination of the 18-day global campaign to end violence against women.

During the occasion, UN Resident Coordinator to the Philippines Ola Almgren and Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development head Juan Pita recognized Quezon City as one of the most progressive cities in the country which passed laws against violence and discrimination.

Quezon City also commits to amend the QC Gender and Development Code to increase penalties for street sexual harassment or violence.

During the occasion Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista reiterated his administration’s continuing effort to promote advocacies aimed at protecting the rights of women in the city.

“Quezon City has done its part and is now making sure that programs pursued by the city government for this particular advocacy are institutionalized,” Bautista said.

Bautista has requested the country representatives of UN agencies present during the occasion to provide QC with more relevant programs that can be implemented by the city government for the next five to ten years.

“What we need are more tangible programs for this advocacy and not just create focal persons,” Bautista said.

Aside from the installation of additional streetlights and more well-lighted streets, Bautista is also pushing for the setting up of more women cubicles in the city’s public schools and make it more proportionate with the increasing number of student population.

The launching of the Safe Cities Advocacy Expo, which has as theme: “Women #FreeFrom Fear!,” was also highlighted by a photo exhibit, mini bazaar, cultural performances and an awarding ceremony for featured short films. The activity also served as venue for the soft launching of the QC Safe Cities video.

Quezon City had been chosen as the Philippine partner of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, or UN Women, to pilot-host the implementation of the agency’s flagship program which calls for stronger actions on the prevention of sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence against women and children in public spaces.

Quezon City is the 25th city in the world to have joined the growing list of global partners supporting the UN Women’s Safe Cities Global Initiative “Free from Violence Against Women and Children,” which was launched in 2010 in an effort to improve women safety across different settings.

Timeline of the Safe Cities Programme for QC began with a baseline research to understand the issue of sexual harassment and sexual violence against women and girls in the streets and other public spaces such as in public transport and terminals, markets, outside schools and in shopping areas.

Barangays Bagong Silangan and Payatas have been chosen as pilot areas for the program.