Gender and Development Corner

DOST-PCHRD supports the national 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, together with the PCW and all advocates for a VAW-free Philippines.

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights violations globally, affecting nearly 1 in 3 women. In the Philippines, about 4.8 million Filipinas have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence from a partner, reminding us that despite progress in gender equality, VAW continues to harm lives, families, and communities.

As the country marks the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW, DOST-PCHRD stands with the Philippine Commission on Women and all advocates committed to a safer, more inclusive Bagong Pilipinas. Beyond raising awareness, the fight against VAW is also a call for stronger evidence, better data, and more responsive policies, areas where health research plays a crucial role.

Through health research, we gain a deeper understanding of the physical, mental, and social impacts of violence. Research informs prevention programs, strengthens survivor-centered services, guides the development of health policies, and supports innovations that protect women and girls. Data on VAW becomes a powerful tool, turning women’s experiences into evidence that can shape more effective interventions and expose the systems that allow violence to persist.

DOST-PCHRD believes that every woman and girl deserves to live with dignity, safety, and opportunity. Let us move from awareness to action: listen with compassion, support research that advances women’s health and protection, and help build a society where women’s rights are upheld and championed.

A VAW-free Philippines starts with all of us.