Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista, UNFPA Country Representative in the Philippines Dr. Leila Joudane, and some members of the DSWD Executive and Management Committee at the online courtesy call for the strengthened collaboration of DSWD and UNFPA in addressing gender and development issues in the country.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), led by Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista, held a courtesy call with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on September 23, 2021 via online video conferencing.

The courtesy call was attended by newly appointed UNFPA Country Representative in the Philippines Dr. Leila Joudane, UNFPA OIC Assistant Country Representative Dr. Joseph Singh, other UNFPA staff, DSWD Executive and Management Committee members, and other DSWD personnel.

The activity was a testimony of the continued partnership of the DSWD and the UNFPA in addressing concerns on gender and development, specifically in promoting sexual and reproductive health of women and children, and in capacitating local government units in their delivery of social welfare and development programs and services.

The DSWD has an ongoing collaboration with the UNFPA in conducting capacity-building activities related to gender-based violence case management. The UNFPA also donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to DSWD Residential Care Facilities in the National Capital Region (NCR) to assist in the COVID-19 prevention measures of the Department.

Through the courtesy call, the Department is hopeful that more collaborative efforts with the UNFPA will be established, especially in the provision of support to youth and women at-risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. ###