Day: March 28, 2024

GENEVA: Older women and women with disabilities face particular risks of abuse, yet their situations remain largely hidden in most global and national violence-related data, according to two publications released Wednesday by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The UN health agency is calling for better research to help ensure that those women are counted and their specific needs are understood and addressed.

Intimate partner and sexual violence are the most common forms of gender-based violence globally that affect 1 in 3 women, according to the WHO.

‘Older women and women with disabilities are under-represented in much of the available research on violence against women, which undermines the ability of programs to meet their particular needs,’ said Dr. Lynnmarie Sardinha, a technical officer at WHO.

Sardinha, who serves the UN Special Program on Human Reproduction (HRP) for Violence against Women Data and Measurement, is the author of ‘Understanding how diverse women and girls are differently affected,
and if and how they are accessing services, is critical to ending violence in all its forms.’

The WHO said where there is evidence of gender-based violence amongst those groups, data shows a high prevalence.

One review found greater risks of intimate partner violence for women with disabilities compared with those without, while another found higher rates of sexual violence.

Older women subjected to violence

Older women and women with disabilities are subjected to violence but also face specific risks and additional forms of abuse, sometimes at the hands of caregivers or health care professionals, including coercive and controlling behavior, such as withholding medicine, assistive devices, or other aspects of care and financial abuse.

Among women aged 60 and older, a review conducted by WHO found that physical and sexual intimate partner violence remained the most frequently experienced forms of abuse.

But as partners aged, some women reported a shift from predominantly physical and sexual violence to p
sychological violence, including threats of abandonment and other controlling behavior.

Older women and women with disabilities can be highly isolated when violence occurs, making it more difficult for them to escape and report the abuse, according to the WHO.

Stigma and discrimination can further reduce access to services or information or result in the dismissal of their accounts of violence by responders.

‘Gender-based violence is rooted in unequal power and control over women,’ said Dr. Avni Amin, head of the Life Course Unit at WHO and the UN Special Programme on Human Reproduction (HRP).

‘For older women and women with disabilities, their dependency and isolation are further exploited by perpetrators, increasing their risk of abuse,’ said Amin.

The WHO recommends several measures to address evidence gaps.

It noted that older women are currently represented in about 10 percent of data on violence against women.

The two WHO research papers — measuring violence against older women and measuring vio
lence against women with disability, stress that older women and women with disabilities and their representative organizations should be engaged in all phases and aspects of survey design and implementation.

The WHO said the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office of the UK government provided funding for the research.

Source: Philippines News Agency

TAIPEI: South Korea’s capital Seoul is determined to push for digital and green projects to improve the people’s quality of life, attract investments and foster further collaboration with the international community in turning these visions into reality.

Speaking to international media members on the sidelines of the 2024 Smart City Summit and Expo on March 21, Seoul Digital Foundation (SDF) president Yo-sik Kang said the establishment of smart cities should be aimed at creating a people-centered lifestyle rather than just introducing new technologies.

He said the public sector, for instance, must establish firm digital transportation strategies and approaches ‘with responsibility’.

Kang said these efforts must also support measures to combat the effects of climate change.

As an example, he said, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has introduced the ‘Climate Companion Card’ to encourage public transport use.

Launched in late January, the card serves as a unified pass for unlimited 30-day train and bus tra
nsportation for a single charge of 62,000 Korean won (KRW) (around PHP2,600), while an additional 3,000 KRW (PHP125) would be charged for those who would want to avail of unlimited use of ‘Ttareungi’ bicycles owned by the city government.

In February, a youth discount for those aged 19 to 34 further cut the price range of the pass from 55,000 (excluding Ttareungi bicycles) to 58,000 KRW (PHP2,200 to PHP2,400).

‘Also, Seoul Parliament Plaza in the center of Seoul is now transformed into a lasting space to create a garden city with more greens. SDF continues to pursue research projects for natural and green space creation and so on,’ Kang added.

Seoul’s SCSE booth, meanwhile, showcased projects of local firms aimed at boosting smart city efforts.

These include Aone Traffic Research and Development’s LED (light emitting diode) floor-type pedestrian traffic lights at the bottom of the pedestrian waiting line.

This technology is equipped with a voice guidance assistance device allowing the public and the tran
sportation vulnerable to safely cross the crosswalk through a voice signal, resulting in fewer pedestrian accidents.

Meanwhile, K4 Security features its decentralized ID-based product passport system, which uses identity verification technology and enables the digitalization of products and the achievement of carbon-centric goals.

Another firm The Spatial Party XR offered a 3D-based extended reality (XR) control system which enables quick onsite response by connecting the control room with real-time sensor data display and screen mirroring.

Upsight, meanwhile, highlighted its building management solution using artificial intelligence (AI) deep learning which focuses on four major areas – process, material, drawing and report management.

These methods aim to increase work efficiency and quality accuracy, check drawing-based production material volume, solve drawing changes and missing material problems and resolve work intensity and workforce issues.

Piquant, on the other hand, showcased an integrated rea
l-time monitoring solution that can monitor up to 11 air pollutants designated by the World Health Organization and South Korea’s Environment Ministry.

Kang, meanwhile, said Seoul is set to stage its own Smart Life Week (SLW) on Oct. 10 to 12, aimed at providing a venue for networking and spreading innovation cases among cities and companies around the world by sharing smart city innovation technologies.

One of the highlights of the SLW is the Seoul Smart City Prize 2024, which recognizes institutions at the forefront of promoting human- and technology-centric approaches, with a particular focus on uplifting underprivileged sectors.

Luring investments

Meanwhile, the city of Sapporo in Japan also aims to lure more investments through digital and green solutions as it also wants to excel in the information technology, renewable energy and semiconductor industry.

In a separate interview during the SCSE, Hitoshi Yoshitake, senior manager of Japanese multinational company Pasona Inc., said the capital city of
Japan’s northern Hokkaido Prefecture has a huge potential for renewable energy.

‘There is a national project going on to produce a plant for the next-generation semiconductor, which is backed by Sony, Toyota and IBM. The company will start the production of the advanced semiconductors of two nanometers by 2025,’ he said.

Yoshitake said Sapporo and its neighboring cities are going to form a so-called ‘Hokkaido Valley’.

‘The IT or semiconductor or green-related industries will be concentrated. So in order to attain this goal, we need to invite more advanced foreign companies to this area. Yes, that’s why we are here,’ he added.

In cooperation with the Hokkaido Prefecture government, the city of Sapporo serves as a one-stop shop for supporting foreign companies, offering assistance on recruiting media, human resource agencies and employment services, as well as property inspections arranged in cooperation with real estate agents.

Yoshitake also said they met with representatives from the Seoul city governme
nt on a possible collaboration toward green transformation and digitalization.

‘We are also trying to realize the green transformation and also the digitalization of society. The goal is very similar, by the close cooperation with them, I think we can both achieve this goal,’ he added.

Source: Philippines News Agency

BATANGAS CITY: The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) here has declared Taal Island off limits to Holy Week vacationers in view of the volcano’s continued restiveness.

In an interview on Thursday, Dr. Amor Banuelos-Calayan, who heads Batangas’ PDRRMO, cited a Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology report released March 27 showing that the volcano remains on Alert Level 1.

Banuelos-Calayan said that while this alert level only indicates ‘low-level unrest,’ her office has decided to keep visitors away from the active volcano in case there is a sudden spike in its activity.

‘We do not have any reported volcanic earthquake today… and no reported emergency cases,’ she told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

The 23-square kilometer Taal Island is a popular destination for amateur explorers seeking a front row seat view to an active volcano, and has for years been a popular tourist destination in the province.

Meanwhile, Banuelos-Calayan said PDRRMO personnel and other
first responders have been strategically placed in Batangas’ popular pilgrimage spots in anticipation of the arrival of droves of Holy Week visitors.

Among the spots being closely monitored are the Montemaria International Pilgrimage and Conference Center in Batangas City, National Shrine of St. Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas City, and the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Isidro Labrador in Cuenca -places that expect to see thousands of visitors beginning on Maundy Thursday, she said.

Montemaria is the pilgrimage site of the Mother of All Asia-Tower of Peace, which at 98.15 meters high, is the tallest statue of the Virgin Mary in the world.

Banuelos-Calayan assured that the PDRRMO will be monitoring key locations in different cities and municipalities following the influx of travelers going to and passing by the province.

“Today (Thursday), we shall monitor other places, especially churches here,’ she added.

Meanwhile, Col. Samson Belmonte, director of the Batangas Provincial Police Office, said in a message to the P
NA that police presence is being beefed up at the Port of Batangas.

He disclosed that Southern Luzon police chief Lt. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento and Calabarzon police chief Brig. Gen. Paul Lucas have conducted onsite inspections of the strategic port earlier today.

Belmonte said Batangas Port serves as a jump-off point for travelers who wish to visit southern Luzon islands with separate terminals for passengers, and cargo and shipping.

“We are grateful to our senior leaders for their visit to the Port of Batangas to inspect it and also provide support to our security forces. You can count on the Batangas PPO to diligently serve the public so that they can make the most of their vacations and holidays,’ he added.

Source: Philippines News Agency

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA: The Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) or the Philippine Independent Church Cathedral in the Municipality of Sibalom features mostly female saints in their religious procession this Lent in recognition of their strong commitment to the ministry.

‘If we observe during the procession, there are more women images than men because women followed Jesus up to the foot of the cross,’ said Bishop Leon Estrella on Thursday.

He said women witnessed Jesus perform miracles. They were around when He was crucified and spread the good news of His resurrection.

Jesus also paid attention to women, the sick, and the poor to give them hope and preach the good news of salvation.

‘The coming out of the images is not for the sake of procession, but it is proclaiming the gospel,’ Estrella said.

Around 14 of the 53 saint images of the IFI are women, including Mother Mary, St. Susana, St. Veronica, St. Jacobe, St. Salome, St. Martha, St. Mary of Bethany, and St. Mary Magdalene.

‘Century-old images are
also of St. Cleofe and St. Jacobe,’ Estrella said.

Women saints are also in their 21 tableaus, including when Jesus performed his first miracle at the wedding in Cana and his raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead, and Jesus and the women of Jerusalem.

They also have saints similar to those of the Roman Catholic church that they identified based on the roles they portrayed in the Bible.

He said women’s role in proclaiming the gospel is also recognized.

‘Women up to this time are taking an active role in helping prepare the church and their images because of their strong commitment,’ Estrella said.

He said image owners are willing to spend preparing for the procession, garments, and flowers as their way of thanksgiving.

In addition to women saints, giveaways during the Good Friday procession also serve as come on for pilgrims.

‘Image owners have with them ready food and other giveaways for the people that is unique for the IFI Diocese,’ he said.

The occasion keeps families intact because the i
mages are reminders of their roots and heritage. Family members make it a point to come home during Lent.

Source: Philippines News Agency