Aug. 17 was a big day for GWAVE — an occasion for remembering, for thanking friends, partners and supporters, and for celebrating 10 official years of existence.
Quite an achievement that a women’s rights NGO has lasted over a decade, considering its unplanned and spontaneous beginnings.
In 2002, when the rape of a poor rural girl became known, women, men, church people, and young people came together and took to the streets to call for justice.
They became close observers of the legal proceedings, and as all manner of irregular moves and money were brought to bear on the case, a strong sense of dismay grew.
When the resolution was issued favoring the accused (overturned five years later by the Department of Justice), outrage became a powerful catalyst, and Gender Watch against Violence & Exploitation was born.
With SEC registration in 2003, and support funds from German churches, official existence began — that’s the 10 years that were celebrated on Aug. 17.
Gathered to mark this event were GWAVE lawyers, staff, board of trustees, teen and adult survivor/advocates, and GWAVE’s many “significant others,” indispensable partners worth naming: policewoman Josefina Lacandula, psychologists and counselors like Dr. Noel Yasi, social workers like Dalisay Padayao, YATTA youth facilitators and theater trainers led by Dessa Quesada-Palm, Amlan Mayor Bentham dela Cruz who allowed GWAVE to sort of “colonize” Amlan for a project to develop male advocates that has gone on for some years now, Ronualdo Seneris, a tireless partner on trafficking in women, Carmenia Benosa of Little Children of the Philippines, the many lawyers like Atty. Myrish Cadapan-Antonio who, at the start (before funding came in), offered pro bono services, with a particular thought for Atty. Archer Martinez, Silliman and Foundation Universities faculty members who called on GWAVE for seminars for their students, and many more partners.
This wide reach of GWAVE’s advocacy is surely one measure of GWAVE “making waves” over 10 years, and an indication of a wider community that believes that the abuse of women, girls and boys must end.
A moving part of the celebration were performances by GWAVE’s teen and adult women survivor/advocates that showed that there is strength and determination after an experience of abuse. Among them were the graduates of GWAVE’s educational support program.
As a special anniversary project, a booklet was presented and given to GWAVE partners that recorded the decade of GWAVE’s work.
Contributors included founders, staff, and the closest partners (some writers even noted how GWAVE had entered the language: “Ipa-GWAVE tika!”)
Finally, friends, and partners contributed their “waves”: their commitments on waves of paper to continue the good fight.
There is much to celebrate in the fact that today, a wide community of like-minded women and men understand that violence against women cannot be tolerated, and that gender equality is a high and necessary social goal. It was heartening to realize during the anniversary gathering that GWAVE plays a key role in that community.
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Author’s email: [email protected]
