Shed Light - Safer cities and public spaces for all women

Women have now more freedom than before especially in democratic countries like ours. But while we enjoy our freedom, are we also sure that we are safe to roam around the place we live in?

According to a new research, three out of five women have experienced a form of sexual harassment while commuting in Metro Manila. It was conducted by “Baseline Study on How safe are women in our city streets” commissioned by Quezon City local government and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women).

To shed “light” on the issue the LGU and UN Women held back-to-back events: (1) A press conference at the QCX Museum, which saw the launch of the research, also revealed Glaiza de Castro as the new celebrity supporter of UN Women Safe Cities; and (2) A grand assembly of 1000 supporters who released sky lanterns to light up the Quezon City skyline and called for safe cities where women are free from fear and free from all forms of street harassment and sexual violence. Both events were to commemorate International Women’s Day (#IWD2016) as well as to kick-off the celebrations in March as the National Women’s Month.

Whether due to shame or fear, women traditionally ignore and keep silent about catcalls, wolf-whistling, stalking, repeated harassment for their numbers, male public exposure, rubbing or groping (panghihipo) inside the MRT/ jeepneys, even bearing indecent language being yelled at them by men as they walk by.Women experience all these forms of sexual harassment as they move about in the city, using public transport, terminals, markets/malls, and even just walking home in their own neighborhoods. Glaiza de Castro, sharing why she supports UN Women Safe Cities

During the press conference discussing the problem of the frequent street harassment of women, De Castro observed, "We know about it, we are offended by it, but we don't know how to prevent it."The research reported that eighty-eight percent (88%)of women aged 18-24 years, have experienced some form of sexual harassment in their lives, but more than half do not report or do anything about it.

This is why the LGU partnered with UN Women to implement the Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Global Initiative. QC is the first city in Metro Manila to be one of over 24 cities around the world in the programme to stop street harassment and sexual violence against women and girls (SVAWG) in public spaces with funding from Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID).

The evening’s grand assembly was a visual spectacle where supporters of women’s right to safety in the city banded together to celebrate the spirit of community fighting to stop street harassment of women. Hosted by PTV4’s Good Morning Boss talents, Jules Guiang and Karla Paderna, the event was graced by musical performances from Cooky Chua and Bayang Barrios.

Guiang expressed, “This is such an important issue and we are grateful that for the first time we have a programme on women’s safety in public spaces and educating everyone that sexual harassment of women in any form is not acceptable.”

The Quezon City Local Government just passed amendments to the Gender and Development Code increasing penalties for sexual harassment and sexual violence against women in public spaces to a range of one to five thousand pesos (Php1,000 to Php5,000) for the varying severity of offenses.