Philippine Embassy in Cambodia Organizes Activities

to Raise Awareness on a VAW-Free Community

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – The Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia organized activities to support and raise awareness on the annual 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW).

The Embassy conducted themed-flag raising ceremonies every Monday during the campaign period, including the Prayer to End VAW.

On December 5, the Embassy conducted a special Sunday Consular Service where environment-friendly reusable cotton face masks, bearing the English and Khmer theme of the Campaign “VAW-free community starts with me” were distributed to consular clients. The face masks served not only to promote the campaign, but to protect the public against the COVID-19 virus.  Consul General Emma R. Sarne was on hand to brief clients on the VAW-free campaign, encouraging both men and women to be more vigilant of cases of violence committed against women and to reach out to the local authorities and the Philippine Embassy in reporting such cases.

On 12 December 2021, the Embassy, in coordination with the Bureau of Treasury conducted a Financial Literacy webinar, which was attended by 30 Filipinos in Cambodia. With the objective of promoting financial literacy among Filipinos, the webinar tackled simple concepts on saving, budgeting, and investing. Representatives from various banks and financial institutions, such as Land Bank of the Philippines, Overseas Filipino Bank (OF Bank), Union Bank of the Philippines, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), and First Metro Securities, also provided basic information on their services, which are available to overseas Filipinos. Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon was also on hand to guide the participants on the benefits of investing and making their salaries and wages work for them. The webinar was aimed at equipping OFWs in Cambodia, particularly women workers, with financial management skills and knowledge of opportunities to lift themselves from poverty. Poverty is one of the leading causes of violence committed against women, especially in this time of pandemic.

The annual  observance of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW), started on November 25 and ended on December 12. The campaign originated from the International Day to Eliminate VAW, which starts on November 25 and ends on December 10,  which is the International Human Rights Day. In 2006, Presidential Proclamation 1172 was enacted that extended the campaign to 18 days or until December 12, which is the year the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, to supplement the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crimes, was signed. END