Women leaders and advocates here would once again converge in another yearly gathering to put across their various issues on health and the environment that greatly affect the women sector.
The Integrated Gender and Development Division (IGDD) of the Davao City local government unit will be among the major organizations to head the women leaders and stakeholders from various groups in the city to celebrate this year’s International Day of Action on Women’s Health on May 28.
IGDD Officer-in-Charge Lorna Mandin said the event would highlight a symposium entitled “Forging on Towards Women’s Health and Reproductive Justice: Collective Efforts to Climate Change” which will be held at 8:00 am to 2:00 pm on the same day, at the J301 Room, Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City.
IGDD, under the City Mayor’s Office, will conduct the symposium in partnership with the Office of City Councilor Leah Librado, the Reproductive Health (RH) Network Davao and Ateneo Public Interest Legal Advocacy (APILA).
“The organizers aim to raise the consciousness of the Dabawenyos on women’s health and its correlation with climate change and thereby propel groups and individuals alike to collectively take action,” Mandin stated.
“With the world celebrating the International Day of Action on Women’s Health on May 28, it’s a good time to listen to the voices of Davao City’s women,” she said.
The celebration also urges the public to “reflect on just how vulnerable their (women) health are to the effects of climate change, and what stakeholders can do to mitigate and/or address the same,” she added.
Among the highlights of the forum would dwell on discussions on Making Environment Gender Friendly; Gender Responsive Natural Disasters: Rescue, Relief and Rehabilitation; Environment Regulation from a Gender Lens; as well as a gender-sensitive city zoning plan, among others.
Mandin said “close to 200 participants, both men and women gender equality advocates from various sectors” will join the celebration “to unify their stand on issues concerning women’s welfare and rights.”
She said the effects of climate change around the world are being felt more strongly by women and children in daily life as well as during disasters.
“But by giving women a greater voice in climate-change and decision-making they are also the most capable of creating change and adaptation within their communities,” she stated.
Mandin said the forum is expected to gather key women leaders such as Mayor Sara Duterte who will convey a message of support, Lyda J. Canson of the RH Network, and Dr. Jean Lindo of Gabriela who will discuss on climate change and women’s health.
The Sangguniang Panglungsod Committee on Health, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC), City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), non-government organization Talikala, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-XI) are also expected to grace the event to present women’s health issues and how climate change has adversely affected the said sector in many ways.
According to RH Network Davao primer, women’s reproductive health is affected by climate change, citing global studies that stated 85 percent of people today who die as a result of climate-induced natural disasters are women.
The studies further showed that 75% of environmental refugees are women, RH Network Davao said. (PIA-11/Carina L. Cayon)
