03 December 2023, Seoul. As part of the Philippines' advocacy for inclusive gender and development and in observance of the 18-day campaign to end Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC), the Gender and Development (GAD) section of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul participated in a special lecture on "Engaging Men for Ending Gender-Based Violence" on 30 November 2023 organized by the UN Women Centre of Excellence for Gender Equality (the Center) in the Republic of Korea.

The Special Lecture discussed that impact and importance of engaging men and boys in the work to eliminate violence against women to dismantle the structure that perpetuates violence and discrimination.

The lecture also emphasized the importance of embedding the values of empathy and equality into the fabric of society and redefine masculinity not as a form of dominance but as a source of support and solidarity.

Dr. Gary Barker, President and CEO of Equimundo Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, delivered a keynote lecture entitled "Talking about Manhood: What Men Have to Do with Ending Gender-Based Violence, and How Men Benefit from Gender Equality," highlighting various factors on how men's lives are affected by ideas about manhood and how it looks like to engage men to be allies in the work towards ending violence against women.

The Centre's Director Jeongshim Lee welcomed all the participants including Minister Kim Hyunsook of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF), Dr. Eun Mee Kim, President of Ewha Womans University who was recently appointed as UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador for the Republic of Korea, Regional Director Alia El-Yassir of the UN Women Asia and the Pacific, members of the diplomatic corps, and relevant stakeholders in the ROK.

The Philippine Embassy in ROK participated in the forum in support of engaging men and boys as being not only beneficial but also crucial in gender and development, and acknowledging that they too are part of the fabric of community that can stop the cycle of abuse and inequality.

The Embassy strongly supports advocacies for the prevention and elimination of violence against women (VAW) and inclusive participation in gender and development in the Philippines and the global community. END