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More effort sought to protect women left ‘vulnerable’ by Yolanda


The devastation caused by super typhoon Yolanda in many areas in the Visayas has left female survivors more vulnerable to anything from maternal death to abuse, prompting government and aid workers to double their efforts in protecting them.

“The call is really, in these times, we have to take extra effort to protect girls and women,” said Genevieve Ah-Sue of the United Nations Populous Fund (UNFPA) at a press briefing Friday.

Aid workers are currently working double time to prevent maternal deaths in areas hit by Yolanda, as survivors, especially mothers, continue to live in unsatisfactory conditions.

Ah-Sue said some 800 mothers in typhoon-hit areas are expected to give birth every day, 135 of them facing high-risk to life-threatening complications.

“With structures devastated, where do they go in order to not only save their life, but also the new born?” said Ah-Sue. “(Child) deliveries are happening in unclean areas, and therefore the call for us is to provide clean conditions for the women.”

Addressing this problem, the UNFPA provided medical equipment to some hospitals in affected areas.

Unsatisfactory conditions

Meanwhile, Beng Sta. Clara, national project development officer of the International Organization for Migration, said mothers in affected areas continue to give birth in “unsatisfactory conditions” almost one month after Yolanda struck central Philippines.

“Kung may ospital nga, 'yung ilaw naman debaterya o kandila lang, problema iyon,” she told GMA News Online after the press conference.

She also noted that prior to the devastation of Yolanda, the rate of maternal mortality is already high in the Philippines, with 13 deaths per day.

“Kung ganyan na karami namamatay, what more with unsatisfactory conditions,” she said.

Vulnerable in crisis

However, child birth in unfit conditions which eventually lead to maternal mortality are not the only problems faced by women in typhoon-devastated areas.

Without adequate shelter and other needs, Ah-Sue said the vulnerability of women, including minors, has increased, adding cases of domestic violence, trafficking, rape and other sexual violence have been reported in the affected areas.

For her part, Sta. Clara said women need protection as many of them are put in congested evacuation centers. She said these women need “spaces for breastfeeding, and for their privacy.”

On the other hand, Ah-Sue said women-friendly spaces should be put up for women and their children.

Sta. Clara noted that in a survey they have recently done in 225 displaced and evacuation sites, they have recorded that there are more women than men in these areas.

“We have reached out 18,792 women, while the men are only at 15,730,” she said.

Support from the govt

Meanwhile, Sta. Clara noted that the national government, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), local officials and non-government organizations have stepped up to address the problems faced mostly by women.

“There have been reports of rape and trafficking and they have been intercepted with the assistance of the DSWD,” she said.

GMA News Online was still trying to get the latest count on these cases as of posting time.

A task force, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), has been established to “prevent all human trafficking and illegal recruitment activities in the calamity-affected areas, exit and entry points of evacuees or survivors, in the various evacuation and survivor processing centers.”

“IACAT Task Force is putting in place all necessary coordination mechanisms and protocols to further bolster the existing anti-human trafficking strategies in view of the heightened vulnerability of survivors from the areas,” said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, IACAT chairperson.

Small things go a long way

Ah-Sue said they have also helped women “to protect themselves.”

“We gave them flashlights and whistles so in times of emergencies, they are able to call for help. These are small things but they go a long way to protect women and girls in difficult situations,” she said.

She also noted that female police officers play a vital role in the prevention and management of cases of gender-based violence.

However, she noted that only two in 1,300 police officers deployed in Tacloban City are women. She added that they are working hard to increase more female police officers on the affected areas. — KBK, GMA News

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