CEDAW/C/PHI/5-6 233. Violence against women. The challenges pertaining to the campaign against VAW are many. These cover the following: a. Addressing gaps in data and information. Other than implementing the NSCB research design to generate primary data on the national incidence of VAWC, government should coordinate with NGOs and other research institutions towards the development of a more comprehensive and in-depth database on VAWC. b. Conducting a more sustained gender sensitizing and training of police investigators, social workers, police and health officials involved in assisting survivors. c. Operationalizing a more comprehensive, coordinated and multi-agency approach to VAW to ensure timely, responsive environment for women victims, including a women-friendly judicial framework that safeguards the safety and welfare of victims throughout the proceedings and processes of the criminal justice system. d. Implementing a more comprehensive approach to also address the cyclical nature of violence and to focus on reforming and rehabilitating the perpetrator. Preventive measures should also be part of the solution. This could include a more aggressive education campaign to inform women of their rights, and how and where they can get support, including legal recourse, and gender sensitivity training for women victims and the perpetrators of VAW crimes. e. Committing resources to government agencies working on the VAW issue. For example, the Women’s Desks of the Philippine National Police lack trained armed police and medico-legal officers to handle and diagnose victims. They also need to be equipped with separate rooms to allow privacy in interviewing and examining victims. Some provinces and cities do not have family courts and judges to attend to victims of abuse and violence. 234. Prostitution. There is a need to continue addressing the root causes of prostitution such as the lack of viable economic opportunities for women. There is a need to raise consciousness and confront sexist attitudes that lead young women and girl-children to prostitution. The antiprostitution bill should be passed immediately in order to accord justice to the prostituted women and children who are victims but are treated as criminals instead. 235. Women in armed conflict. The impact on civilians of the government’s war against rebel forces and terrorist organizations must be given immediate and serious attention. Women should be enabled to participate in peace building and in rehabilitation of their communities, even as their livelihood and basic services should be assured. 72