Tagum City, Davao Del Norte —The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11 recently initiated organizing the Inter-Agency Council on Violence against Women and Children (IAC VAWC).

Social Welfare Officer Pedrita Dimakiling who presided over the meeting of representatives from  various national line agencies based in Davao Region said that the IAC VAWC “is different” from the Regional Interagency Council against Trafficking (RIACAT).

She explained that laws against trafficking and against violence on women and children are not the same  though some of the agencies involved in addressing such crimes are  almost the same.

Invited to become part of the IAC VAWC were the Commission on Human Rights, Civil Service Commission, departments of Education, Interior and Local Government, Health, Justice, Labor and Employment and National Defense.

Other agencies targeted to get involved in the IAC VAWC in Davao Region were the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples,  National Statistical Coordination Board, City Social Services and Development Office (Davao City), and the social welfare offices of the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur and Compostela Valley.

The Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Republic Act 9262, otherwise known as “An Act Defining Violence against Women and their Children, providing for Protective Measures for Victims, Prescribing Penalties Thereof and for Other Purposes” sets the creation of IAC VAWC to ensure the effective  implementation of the law and  for the Council to become the lead coordinator and monitoring body on VAWC initiatives.

Based on the Law,  Council   is tasked to undertake promotion of Anti-VAWC Act, capacity-building of stakeholders, development of comprehensive programs for VAWC victims-survivors, networking with other stakeholders and monitoring of the implementation of the RA 9262.

The Council is also tasked to conduct research to include the integrated approach to eliminate VAWC, nature and root causes of VAWC, battered woman syndrome, violence against lesbian relationships, violence against marginalized women, rehabilitation of VAWC perpetrators and documentation of good practices as bases for policy formulation and program development.  (PIA 11)