CEDAW/C/PHL/7-8
campaign to end VAW. The 2008-2009 campaign focused on intensified advocacy
for local government units to provide comprehensive and gender-sensitive services
to VAW victim-survivors. One activity conducted along this end was the Search for
Outstanding VAW-Responsive LGUs which enabled competing local government
units to clearly examine their policies, programs, and services on VAW and identify
ways by which they can improve them, to better address VAW in their localities.
49. Emerging forms of violence against women, such as cyber pornography
(ICT-related electronic or E-VAW), violence in armed conflict and during disasters
and calamities, and against lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons (LBTs) are
now being recognized and publicly discussed.
Men as advocates against VAW (MOVE)
50. In 2006, the State Party, through the PCW, helped organize the Men Opposed
to VAW Everywhere (MOVE), an organization of men who committed to be actively
involved in the elimination of VAW. Members commit to speak out against VAW,
examine, propose and formulate total male involvement and actions in the
elimination of VAW; form partnerships and linkages with similar groups working on
VAW, locally and internationally; organize and conduct researches, studies and fora
in recognition of the social effects of VAW for policy and program develo pment;
and establish a resource network on VAW. MOVE members have since conducted
orientations, lectures, advocacy activities on VAW in national government agencies
and in LGUs down to the barangays (villages), particularly during 18 -Day
Campaign to End VAW and Women’s Month Celebration. They have developed
networks through representation in national and international conferences on VAW.
As of February 2014, MOVE has 29 chapters and affiliates with more than 5,000
members all over the Philippines.
On amendment of the Anti-Rape Law and other VAW-related laws
51. One of the priority legislation on VAW is the amendment of the Anti -Rape
Law. The bill has been and re-filed since the 14th Congress. The bill redefines the
crime of rape by putting the element of “absence or lack of consent” in the core of
its definition; enumerates six (6) instances where there is a presumption of lack of
consent, which places upon the accused the burden of proof that the sexual
intercourse with the victim is consensual; repeals the provision that pardons the
rapist if he subsequently marries the victim or the rapist -husband if pardoned by the
wife and raises the age of statutory rape from 12 to 16 years.
52. An anti-prostitution bill has also been filed which makes procurers, pi mps, and
customers of women for sex criminally-liable instead of the women in prostitution.
On enhancing data collection and conduct of research on VAW
53. In 2010, a National VAW Documentation System (NVAWDocS) was
developed. This is a web-based documentation system to measure the extent of
VAW cases in the Philippines. Once fully operational, the system has the capability
to generate reports to determine the number of VAW victims and to monitor the
services provided by the different service providers. It was piloted in 9 sites, with
funding support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Spanish
Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the result of which
demonstrated that data could be integrated from the various sourc es and, in the
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