In the Philippines, 14.5 percent of girls age 13-17 have experienced sexual violence, according to the 2015 National Baseline Study on Violence against Children.
Violence against women and girls has profound effects on their reproductive health and life cycle, and can result in unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. It leaves deep psychological scars that can take years to overcome. Responding to violence against women in development and humanitarian settings is a priority for UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UNFPA, in partnership with the Office of the Vice President (OVP) held a dialogue with high school students from Juan Sumulong High School, Camp Aguinaldo High School and San Roque High School to raise awareness of violence against women and girls as well as its linkage to teenage pregnancy.
Students were able to engage Vice President Leni Robredo, UNFPA Country Representative Klaus Beck, and Ms. Jean Enriquez, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) in an open forum, asking a variety of questions.
The dialogue, held in Juan Sumulong High School, is part of the nationwide Babaenihan Campaign, launched by the UNFPA and the OVP to raise awareness about the urgency of addressing teenage pregnancies through investments in education, health and economic opportunities.
Speakers for the dialogue included: Vice President Leni Robredo; UNFPA Country Representative Klaus Beck; and Ms. Jean Enriquez, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific (CATW-AP). Students were able to engage the speakers in an open forum, asking a variety of questions.
“UNFPA promotes the right of all women and girls to live free of violence and abuse,” said UNFPA Country Representative Klaus Beck. “This is not just an issue for women and girls; it is an issue of concern for everyone. Let us all join the chorus of voices demanding change,” he added.
After the dialogue, students participated in Quezon City Health Department’s Teen Walk to Health, which featured ten interactive stations on an array of issues ranging from teenage pregnancy to sexually transmitted infections such as HIV.
