LETTER

Eliminating violence against women

Nov. 25 is international day to end violence against women. It was first declared by women of Latin America in their gathering in 1981 to commemorate the death of the prominent three Mirabal sisters (The Butterfiles) who were killed for opposing the dictatorship of Gen. Trujillo in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 25, 1960.

The declaration made by women from Latin America spread throughout the world and as such November 25 became an international day of action for the elimination of violence against women. In 1991, through the Center for Women’s Global Leadership, women from 23 organizations gathered to declare Nov. 25 to Dec. 10 as 16 days of activism for the elimination of violence against women.

The UN General Assembly on Dec. 17, 1999 designated Nov. 25 as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

In this year’s IDEVAW, we highlight the violence suffered by women due to increasing hunger and poverty. Majority of indigenous women in the Cordillera fall part of the 53% population of the Philippines who self-rate themselves as suffering from poverty (SWS) and 21.% who rate themselves as hungry.

Economic reports say that 15 million of Filipinos live on 1 US dollar a day (P45.00) while 40 million Filipinos live on 2 US dollars a day (P90.00). The government justifies that a Filipino can live with P39.00 a day (less than 1 UD dollar).

Majority of women wallow in poverty and hunger, yet it was easy for Malacanang to distribute cash gifts amounting from P200,000 to P500,000 each to local government official and members of the House of Representatives.

This is happening at a time that new impeachment proceedings and the anomalous ZTE-NBN contract were being discussed. In the midst of an increasing poverty, the Arroyo government has yet to answer graft and corruption charges against her government including the involvement of her husband.

The Philippines has been rated the most corrupt government in Asia a few years back and a World Bank report says that at least 20 percent of the national budget is eaten by corruption. This is bureaucrat capitalism at work where those in power are running government as if it was their own business.

The unresolved issue of corruption in government bureaucracy indeed contributes to the hunger and poverty of the common women. There exists already the problem in budget prioritization where the most needed budget areas for women get the least allocation like basic social services. Economic programs have yet to reach the poor to the poorest section of women.

Stretching of the family budget is already impossible and this is even made more difficult with the recent oil price hike making it the 16th times to increase prices of gasoline products this year and a total increase of P10.00 per liter of gasoline this year. Diesel, kerosene and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices have hiked 13 times with a total of P6.60 per liter of diesel products and P6.30 per kilo of LPG.

Given the wide-ranging effects on the economy, the most to suffer will be the ordinary women wage-earners, farmers, small entrepreneurs, drivers and their families. What we see is lesser food on the table, inability to seek medical and other important services, and a bleak Christmas for their families.

Hunger and poverty now comes as the number one violence against women and children. This violence of hunger and poverty makes women and children vulnerable to other forms of violence like domestic, sexual, mental and psychological violence.

With corruption eating people’s money, what services do distressed women expect from government? When they raise their voices, they face political repression calling these acts as acts of terrorism.

The 16 Days of Activism for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is a time to act on the cause of our violence. Let this be a time to get women’s attention on the oil price hikes, on the corruption issues, on livelihood, services and welfare and security for women. We also join the widows and orphans of victims of political killings, Pepe Manegdeg and Albert Terredano, who are still crying for justice, two years after their slay on Nov. 27 and 28, 2005 respectively.

Let us bring to the public and get their support for the 3 House Bills against the oil price increase proposed by the progressive partylist groups, Gabriela Women’s Party, Bayan Muna and Anakpawis.

Vernie Yocogan-Diano
Chairperson
Mila Lingbawan
secretary-general
Innabuyog