Guide for Implementers

in the Management of
WOMEN FRIENDLY SPACE (WFS)

Department of Social Welfare and Development

2013

Table of Contents
TITLE

PAGE

Chapter I

: Rationale

Chapter II

: Philosophical Base

Chapter III

: Legal Base

Chapter IV

: Definition of Terms

10

Chapter V

: Description

12

Chapter VI

: Program Framework

13

Chapter VII

: Objectives and Coverage

16

Chapter VIII

: Project Components

17

Chapter IX

: Operational Guidelines

19

Chapter X

: Case Management Process

32

Chapter XI

: Physical Facility

49

Chapter XII

: Human Resource Requirement

54

Chapter XIII

: Institutional Arrangements

57

Annexes
A. Womens Booklet

63

B. WFS Facilitators Form

65

C. PSWDO and Field Office Monitoring Tool

71

D. WFS Logo

72

E. LGU Referral System for Emergencies

73

F. WFS Terms of Reference

75

Plan, schedule and monitor activities together with the service

providers and women committee.
To organise awareness raising programs at the WFS on issues
relating to well-being, womens rights, sexual/reproductive health
and gender based violence. This would include coordinating the
development, display and distribution of BCC material, organising
workshops/ lectures/talks/discussions on relevant topics, etc
To organise and coordinate advocacy campaigns to enhance male
accountability for VAW prevention, particularly among religious
leaders, community leaders, professional associations, etc
Inform and mobilize internally displaced women to attend the
activities to be conducted in the WFS
Record all the activities conducted in the WFS and keep the
attendance sheet of list of internally displaced women who were
provided with the services.
Maintain the cleanliness of WFS and ensure that its contents are
safe and secured.
Provide initial psychosocial support to any possible victim-survivor
and refer to any service provider utilizing the existing LGU referral
system
To participate in Review meetings convened by the Camp
Coordination and Camp Management Cluster at the Municipal
level, and with MSWDO, PSWDO and DSWD.

84

Enhance/develop their knowledge and skills to enable them to

participate and have control on matters concerning their needs and
interest.

The WFS which are located in the evacuation camps or in the

temporary shelter sites will be managed by a woman from the affected
community under the supervision of MSWDO and/or a local womens
organization. he WFS Facilitator will receive intensive training on WFS
management, community mobilization, documentation and data
collection, Gender, GBV and other relevant issues.
Under the direct supervision of the MSWDO and/or a local womens
organization, the WFS Facilitator will be responsible for the following:

Manage the day to day activities in WFS under the supervision of

the camp manager
Assist the camp management team in the conduct of profiling of
internally displaced women to include the following data:
- Number of households and average family size
- Number of female and male residents by age
- Number of female, single and child-headed households by their
age and sex
- Number of persons by age and sex with specific needs
(unaccompanied children, women with disability, chronically ill
and elderly women
- Number of pregnant (and their expected date of delivery) and
lactating women.
Identify the needs of internally displaced women by conducting
interviews or group interviews with internally displaced women
Coordinate, liaise and network with concerned or possible agency
which can address the identified needs and can provide the needed
services in the WFS.

CHAPTER I
Rationale

When a disaster hits or conflict erupts, saving lives, meeting the basic
needs and protection of survivors are the primary concerns of
humanitarian actors or the service providers. With such rush to provide
immediate response, the appeal to pay attention to gender issues
often falls on deaf ears and may seem irrelevant. Paying attention to
gender issues or putting gender lens means recognizing the different
needs, capacities and contributions of women, girls, boys and men.1
According to the typology of risks and shock developed by World
Development Report 2000/2001, risks are classified by the level at
which they occur (household/micro, local/meso and national/macro)
and by the nature of the event (natural, environmental, economic,
social, etc.) but do not encompass gender issues. It is important to
understand the level and nature of a risk when planning and developing
response for it provides scope for a more detailed analysis. (ADB:2008)
At the micro level, women are biologically more susceptible to
some illnesses and face specific health issues. Women are
also more susceptible to domestic violence, and having little
or no control over intra-household distribution of resources
and power. At the meso level, women may find it more difficult
to recover from shocks due to social norms, insecure property
rights, or limited job prospects. At the macro level, economic
transition can have gender-differentiated impacts or legislation
1Inter-Agency

standing Committee, Women, Girls, Boys and Men Different NeedsEqual Opportunities. December 2006

83

may discriminate against women and men. The gender

dimension of risk can be significant.

ANNEX F
Even though men and women are exposed to the same kind of risks2
such as disaster, they can be affected by the same risk in a different
way. Thus it is important to consider men and women as different
constituents in any analysis and planning for intervention. Women as a
group have particular needs, which differ from those of men as a group
which should be addressed from a gender perspective. Being blind to
these different needs (of men and women) would have implication on
the protection and survival of those affected by crisis.
Displacement is one of the major consequences brought about by crisis
situation such as disaster and leaves a devastating effect to vulnerable
sector one of them are women. Effects of displacement on women
include family separations, trauma associated with the deaths of family
members, impaired health, and the loss of the home and possessions.
Displacement may effect womens rights to inherit land and property.
The cumulative effects of personal loss may result to depression and
physical deterioration. Post-traumatic stress syndrome is a common
ailment among women who have been displaced for more than a few
months. The long term impact of displacement on women may mean
the permanent loss of social and cultural ties, the termination of career
and regular employment, disruption or loss of educational
opportunities.3Gender-Based Violence (GBV) happens also in women
and children in disaster situation. It is because women and children are
often the target of abuse and the most vulnerable to exploitation and
violence because of their gender, age and status in society.

TERMS OF REFERENCE
WOMEN FRIENDLY SPACE FACILITATOR

With the support of PSWDO, the MSWDO will set up # Women Friendly
Space (WFS) in _______________ of the province of
_______________________.
Generally, the objective of WFS in evacuation camps is to respond to
the effects of displacement and vulnerability of women to crisis
situations (both natural and manmade) through the provision of wide
range of services that would address their practical and strategic
gender needs.
Specifically, the WFS was designed to:

2Risk

refers to uncertain events that can damage well being while vulnerability is the
probability to become poor in the future.
3Sphere/pdf/watsan/WCRW/unicef-idpgender-1998.pdf

Provide safe and accessible space for internally displaced women

and girls and promote womens welfare through the establishment
of WFS through equal access to resources
Increase awareness among women and the community at large, on
issues related to well-being, womens rights, sexual and
reproductive health and gender based violence and enhance male
and community accountability for gender-based violence as these
are crucial in the process of empowerment and equality
Ensure that internally displaced women will have access to factors
of production for their economic empowerment
82

School Nurse
FP: Dr.________________
CP: __________________

Health Facility: RHU New

Bataan
FP: Dr.________________
CP: __________________

ACUACOR Hospital
FP: Dr. ________________
CP:
_____________________

Medical/Health Care Entry

Point
Compostela Valley
Provincial Hospital
WCPU:
FP: Dr.________________
CP: __________________

Social

Social

Social

FP: __________________
CP: __________________

Pantawid
Worker:

FP: __________________
CP: __________________

Municipal
Worker - NB:

FP: __________________
CP: __________________

Provincial
Worker:

Philippine National PoliceWCPD

FP: __________________
CP: __________________

Provincial
Prosecutors
Office
FP: __________________
CP: __________________

Provincial Legal Office:

FP: __________________
CP: __________________

Public Attorneys Office

(PAO):
FP: __________________
CP: __________________

Philippine National Police

(Municipal):
FP:
Hotline:
Hotline: ________________

Commission on Human
Rights
FP: ___________________
CP: ___________________

Philippine National Police

Headquarters Provincial
FP: ___________________
Hotline: ________________

Temporary Shelter
Educational
Assistance
Livelihood & Skills
Training
Witness Protection

After Immediate
Response, Follow up
& Other Resources

SURVIVOR-CENTERED MULTI-SECTORAL RESPONSE

The survivor-centered approach means ensuring survivors can access appropriate, accessible and good quality
multi-sectoral services including health care, psychological and social support, security & legal services.

The primary point of contact must provide a safe, caring environment and respect the confidentiality and wishes of the survivor, learn the
immediate needs, give honest and clear information about the services available. If agreed and requested by the survivor, obtain informed
consent and make referrals; accompany the survivor to assist her/him in accessing services. If survivor is under 18 years old, she/he must be
accompanied by an adult (if possible, a parent, family member, relative, guardian or any adult trusted by the child). Always use the Best Interest
Principle in dealing with the child survivor.

In the Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment of the Philippine Humanitarian

Action Plan (HAP) for 2013, out of the targeted 14 municipalities and 1 city
that are vulnerable to humanitarian emergencies across the Mindanao
region, 53% have cited incidents of different types of GBV. Only 40% of
the sites indicated that GBV cases were referred to service providers; 40%
have GBV preventive measures in place; and 37% have a reporting
mechanism. The Mindanao GBV Sub Clusters (based in Cotabato,
Cagayan De Oro and Iligan Cities) have facilitated response to 134
survivors of GBV from the period of January to September 2012.
In
Basilan, violence against women escalated during the period of conflict
from 2000 to 2003. Their communities considered raped women unclean,
and they were forced to marry the men who had raped them.4

Based on the Protection Advisory No. 2 dated January 22, 2013,

women and children in areas affected by Typhoon Pablo in Mindanao
are at high risk of being trafficked. An estimated 80% of the affected
communities are women adults and children. Many of them were
already at risk due to forced displacement caused by the on-going
conflict prior to the typhoon. In many situations, women and children
are living separately from their families as they, or their spouse/parents
find work elsewhere. This increases their vulnerability to GBV including
human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation and
abuse.

It is within this premise that the DSWD as mandated by laws and

national policies and as the Lead on Gender Based Violence (GBV)
Sub-Cluster needs to pay attention to gender issues and concerns in
disaster management. Establishment of the Women Friendly Space
(WFS) in evacuation camps can be the appropriate intervention to
address gender issues and concerns during crisis situation.

Magcalen-Fernandez, E. 2006.Conflict, State Fragility and Womens Reproductive

Health: The Case of Basilan, Philippines. Washington DC: USAID.

81
6

2. Every woman has the capacity to change.

Every woman has the capacity to change her condition and
situation in the society with the support from different social
institutions that construct gender.
3. Every woman has the capacity for self-determination and
problem-solving.
Women have the capacity and ability to set her life's agenda and
make choices, develop self-confidence and self-reliance in order to
solve personal and community problems. With such she can be in
position to defend and demand her rights in order to realize her full
potential as a woman.

4. Every woman should have equal access to opportunities in

society

Brgy./Purok Council of
Women (B/PCOW)
FP: _______________
CP: _______________
Camp Manager
FP: _____________
CP: _____________
Law Enforcer/PNP
FP: _____________
CP: _____________

Women should be accorded with due respect and uphold their

physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual integrity and
well-being.

LGU
REFER
RAL
SYSTE
M FOR
EMER
GENCI
ES
Brgy.
______
______
_,
Munici
pality
of
______
______
_

Brgy. VAW Desk

Officer
FP: _______________
CP: _____________

1. Every woman has worth and dignity.

SURVIVOR and/or Reporting Party Other than the Survivor

The Philosophical Bases of this Manual is anchored on the following

Social Work values and principles:

Seeking Immediate Response/Assistance

Philosophical Base

The survivor may approach or seek help from any of the humanitarian worker present in the community.

CHAPTER II

This referral pathway is ONLY applicable to situations of humanitarian emergencies that are complex mix of
occurrences of natural forces (extreme weather or geological activity) or human activity (conflict, social upheaval
and environmental degradation).

A
N
N
E
X
E

80

ANNEX D

Women should not be discriminated on the basis of their sex,

they should be provided with opportunities and access to
resources on equal basis with men
5. Women are capable of exercising social consciousness and
responsibility toward themselves, their families and their
community.
Women should be given the opportunity to participate and be
involved in ways where they can fully contribute as partners in
development.
6. Women can achieve personal growth and development if
provided with an environment that is both supportive and
challenging.
Enabling environment should be provided to women which will
lead to their empowerment and attain gender equality.

79

CHAPTER III

ANNEX C
PSWDO AND FIELD OFFICE MONITORING TOOL

Legal Bases

ACTIVITY MONITORING TOOL

The Philippines is a signatory to many international instrument, enacted
several law and issued national policies that aim to protect the rights
and welfare of women and promote gender equality.

Schedule
Activities

A. International Instruments

Name of Municipality: ________________________________________________

Date of Visit: __________________
Period Covered: ____________________

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which was
adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly is also known as
the International Bill of Rights of Women. It defines what
constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an
agenda for national action to end such discrimination. The
Convention provides the basis for realizing equality between
women and men through ensuring women's equal access to,
and equal opportunities in political and public life -- including
the right to vote and to stand for election -- as well as
education, health and employment. States parties agree to take
all appropriate measures, including legislation and temporary
special measures, so that women can enjoy all their human
rights and fundamental freedoms.
The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA) is a
document adopted by governments at the Fourth World
Conference on Women that sets forth governments
commitments to enhance womens rights. It also identified
other acts of VAW including violation of human rights of women
in situations of armed conflict, in particular murder, systematic
9

Tar
get

Ac
tua
l

Participant
s
Tar
get

Ac
tua
l

Budget
Allocat
ed

Actua
l
Expe
nses

What are
the
facilitatin
g or
hindering
factors?

Indic
ate
the
Level
of
Equal
ity 17

Who
provid
ed the
activit
y?

Cite some
impression
s from the
participant
s after the
session

Please cite other concerns/remarkable findings?

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

17

The Women Empowerment Framework which serves as the guide in the provision of services
to internally displaced women through the different levels of equality which include welfare,
access, conscientization, participation and control.

78

Levels of
Equality
Control

Indicators
Attitude

Knowledge
Recognizes the
relevance of
sharing and
asserting her
decisions

Belief in her
capacity to
decide for
herself

rape, sexual slavery and forced pregnancy. The Beijing

document also stated that VAW also includes forced
sterilization and forced abortion, coercive/forced use of
contraceptives, female infanticide and prenatal sex selection.

Skills

Able to assert
her position in a
particular issue
and speak in
behalf of other
women

The Millennium Declaration and Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs) outline a set of time-bound and measurable
goals and targets to promote gender equality and to combat
poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy and environmental
degradation by 2015. It pronounces to combat all forms of
violence against women and to implement the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

B. National Laws/Policies and Issuances

Republic Act 9710, the Magna Carta of Women is a

comprehensive womens human rights law that seeks to
eliminate discrimination against women by recognizing,
protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women,
especially those in the marginalized sector.It promotes
empowerment of women and pursues equal opportunities for
women and men and ensures equal access to resources and to
development results and outcome through the development of
plans, policies, programs, measures, and mechanisms to
address discrimination and inequality in the economic, political,
social, and cultural life of women and men.
Section 10 of RA 9710, Women Affected by Disaster,
Calamities and other Crisis Situation states that women have
the right to protection and security in times of disasters,
calamities and other crisis situations especially in all phases of
relief, recovery, rehabilitation and construction efforts.

77

10

Executive Order 865, the Creation of a National Steering

Committee on Women, Peace and Security (NSCWPS) to
Implement UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820
and Providing Funds Thereof. The Committee shall
spearhead the implementation of the National Action Plan on
Women, Peace and Security which include the promotion and
mainstreaming gender perspectives in all aspects of conflict
prevention, conflict resolution and peace building.

Levels of
Equality

Executive Order No. 15 Series of 1998 as amended by E.O.

221 S. 2003 mandates the DSWD to provide assistance to
develop and implement programs, projects and services that
will alleviate poverty and empower disadvantaged individuals,
families and communities for an improved quality of life.

Moreover, the following law, policies and guidelines were issued to

specifically address the disaster management to include the concerns
of gender-based violence in disaster situation:

Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine DRRM Lawpromotes

community based disaster management. Under this law, the
DSWD Secretary is mandated to be the Vice Chairperson of
the NDRRMC for Disaster Response.
NDCC Circular 05-2007: Institutionalization of the Cluster
Approachin the Philippine Disaster Management System,
Designation of Cluster Leads and their Terms of Reference at
the National, Regional, and Provincial Levels. The DSWD was
designated as cluster head for Emergency Shelter, Protection,
Food and Livelihood. Part of its roles and responsibilities as
cluster head is to ensure integration of agreed cross-cutting
issues in sectoral needs assessment, analysis, monitoring and
response to gender concerns
11

Participation

Knowledge
Recognition of
her rights as an
individual and as
a woman
Understand the
meaning, nature
of VAW
Understand the
salient features
of RA 9262, 9208
and other laws
related to women
Understand the
importance of
loving herself
and self-care of
women
Recognize the
importance of the
environment and
how to take care
of it for good
health and other
benefits.

Regularly attends
on gender
awareness
activities and
information
session
Understand the
relevance of
taking part in
community
related activities

Indicators
Attitude
that she has a
role to play
Asserts her right
Appreciate that
reproductive
roles i.e. child
rearing,
household
chores and
productive role
i.e. work is a
shared
responsibility of
husband and
wife/ partners
Belief in the
importance of
taking care of
her body and
health

Encourages
other IDPs to
participate in
camp activities,
attend meetings

Skills

Takes part in
decision-making
process in the
community i.e.
camp meetings
Demonstrates
problem-solving
skills

76

INDICATORS OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AMONG INTERNALLY DISPLACED

WOMEN
Levels of
Equality
Welfare

Access

Indicators
Attitude

Knowledge

Advocates for
her needs such
as food supply
intended for
pregnant and
lactating women,
well-lit bathing
facilities, toilets
with locks, water
supply for
washing, cooking

Able to articulate
her specific
needs e.g.
underwear,
family planning
commodities,
sanitary napkins,
flash lights

Acquires
knowledge on
the basic
business
management
Knows how to
access different
resources from
the community
for IGP

Recognition of
her economic
abilities
Have control
over income
from IGP
Determination to
look for other
source of
income
Believes in her
capacity to
engage in
economic
activities

Appreciate how
gender affects
her daily life
Believes that
gender can be
changed and

Conscientization

Awareness of the
difference of sex
and gender,
social
construction of
gender

NDCC Circular 12-2008: Amendment of NDCC Circular No. 52007 which merged several clusters and designation of
government leads. The DSWD is the lead for Food and NonFood Items, Camp/IDP Management, Emergency Shelter and
Protection; and Permanent Shelter and Livelihood.

Terms of Reference of the Sub-Cluster on Gender Based

Violence (SGBV). The overall objective of the GBV SubCluster is to put in place effective mechanisms to prevent
incidents of sexual violence and to provide accesible, prompt,
confidential service to survivors during crisis. The SCBV SubCluster is primarily tasked to coordinate and support the
activities of all relevant stakeholders in the prevention and
response to SGBV. The DSWD is designated as the
government Sub-Cluster Lead of SGBV.

Skills

Recognizes that
Her needs are
different from His
needs in relation
to her biological/
reproductive
capacities

Acquire skills
from livelihood
trainings
Skills in
managing her
resources
Avails/participat
es in cash or
food for work

Practices selfcare
Able to care for
the environment

75

12

Date: ______________________________________________
Name of Session: _______________________________________

CHAPTER IV
Definition of Terms
1. Gender - refers to roles, attitudes and values assigned by culture
and society to women and men. These roles, attitudes and values
define the behaviours of women and men and the relationship
between them. 5Gender Mainstreaming a strategy for making
womens as well as mens concerns and experiences an integral
dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
of policies, programs and projects in all social, political, civil and
economic spheres so that women and men benefit equally.6
2. Practical Gender Needs are needs of women identify in their
socially accepted roles. Practical gender Needs are a response to
immediate perceived necessity, identified within the a specific
context7
3. Strategic Gender Needs are the needs women identify because
of their subordinate position to men in their society. Meeting
strategic gender needs helps women to achieve a greater equality.
4. Violence against Women (VAW) refers to any act of genderbased violence that results or is likely to result in physical, sexual or
psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such
acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in
public or private life.8

5PCW

Observations on the women BEFORE the services provided through the

WFS (Briefly discuss)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Observations on the women AFTER the services provided through the
WFS
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

6RA

9710 otherwise known as Magna Carta of Women

1993
8UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, 1993.
7Moser,

13

74

TRAININGS ATTENDED
Title of the Training

5. Gender-based Violence (GBV) refers to violence that is directed

at a person on the basis of gender or sex.9GBV is an umbrella term
encompassing a wide range of human rights violations and can be
directed at adult women and men and male and female children.
GBV takes the form of rape, domestic violence, sexual assault and
harassment, trafficking of women, girls and boys and several
harmful traditional practices including female genital
mutilation/cutting, early marriage, bride inheritance.10

Date

6. Victim-survivor refers to a woman or child who has suffered

gender-based violence. While as a victim, she should be treated
with compassion and sensitivity, referring to her as a survivor
recognizes her strength and resiliency.11
SKILLS:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

9Recommendation

19, No. 6 of the 11th CEDAW Session.

10 http://oneresponse.info/GlobalClusters/Protection/GBV/Pages/default.aspx
11

Philippine Commission on Women and Inter Agency Council on Violence Against

Women and Their Children. Guidelines in the Establishment and Management of a
Referral System on Violence Against Women at the Local Government Unit Level.

73

14

CHAPTER V

SERVICES availed in the WFS:

Description

Activity/Sessions Attended

Date Provided

Service Provider

The establishment of Women Friendly Space (WFS) is a strategy in

camp management that would address the specific needs of women
and would mainstream gender concerns in humanitarian response. The
WFS is a facility/structure that will be established in the evacuation
camps, transitional sites or disaster affected communities that will
provide a more systematic, organized and gender-responsive way of
delivering services to internally displaced women.
Through the services provided in the WFS, case management of
internally displaced women will be facilitated. They will be able to cope
with their situation brought about by disaster and will prepare them to
their return to their communities.
The term WFS can be renamed based on the local dialect used in the
area for better appreciation/understanding of the internally displaced
women.

15

72

ANNEX B

CHAPTER VI

WOMEN FRIENDLY SPACE

Municipality of ______________

The Program Framework

WFS Facilitators Form

Profile
Date Accomplished : _____________________________________
Name : _______________________________________________
Address : _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Age : __________________ Civil Status : _________________
Occupation : _____________________________________________
Highest Educational Attainment : _____________________________
If IP, Indicate Tribe : _______________________________________
PantawidPamilya Beneficiary? Yes _________ No ___________
Pregnant/Lactating?
Yes: _______
No. of Months: ________
Religious Affiliation : _____________________________________
Household Members:
Name

Sex

Age

Relationship

Occupation

In responding to a humanitarian emergencywhether it is the result of

conflict or a natural disaster it is often than not that reaction is during
the initial outbreak. However, literature on emergencies usually
considers a much broader time frame which is sometimes referring to
the phases of an emergency as follows:

Phase 1 Pre-crisis (before the disaster strikes)

Phase 2 Crisis (when the disaster strikes)
Phase 3 Stabilization (when immediate emergency needs have
been addressed)
Phase 4 Return/recovery (when those who are displaced are
returning home and/or the focus is on rebuilding systems and
structures and transitioning to development).12

The establishment of WFS therefore is one of the strategies in camp

management which focuses primarily on the responding to the different
needs of women that should be done after the disaster strikes, but it
should also be considered during contingency planning in pre-crisis, as
well as to highlight what kind of activities should continue into the
stabilization and return/recovery phases.
The establishment of Women Friendly Space in the evacuation camps
is anchored on the premise that even during humanitarian crises

12

Handbook for Coordinating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian

Settings, pp. 3-4

71

16

women, girls, boys and men have immediate, practical survival needs
and strategic gender needs.13
In responding to such needs, Sarah Longwes Womens Empowerment
Framework (WEF) highlights that the process of empowerment through
a sequence of measurable actions can serve as a guide in providing
appropriate response to internally displaced women. The path can be
used as a frame of reference for progressive steps towards
increasing/attaining women empowerment and equality.
The
framework centres on five levels of equality which are hierarchical.14
Longwe defines these five levels of equality as follows:
Welfare.Level of womens material welfare which will include food
supply, medical care and other basic services.
Access.Womens access to the factors of production, equal access
to training, marketing facilities and all public services and benefits.
Conscientization. A conscious understanding of the difference of
sex and gender and awareness that gender roles are cultural and
can be changed.
Participation.Womens equal participation in decision making
process, in policy-making, planning and administration.

13Inter-Agency

Standing Committee, Gender Handbook in Humanitarian

Action.Women, Girls, Boys and Men Different Needs-Equal Opportunities. December
2006, p. 3
14March Candida, et. Al, A Guide to Gender-Analysis Frameworks. Oxfam GB 1999.
Pp. 93-94

17

ANG AKING DIARY/JOURNAL Date: ____________

Anoangpinakanagustuhanmosaating session ngayon? Bakit?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Anoangpinakahindimonagustuhan?Bakit?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Anoangiyong
opinion
o
damdamintungkolsatopicengayon?Paanomoitomagagamitsaarawaraw?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Ano pang mga topic ang gusto mo pang matutunan?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

70

Control.Womens control over the decision-making process

through conscientization and mobilization.

ANNEX A

WOMEN FRIENDLY SPACE

Municipality of ______________
WOMENs BOOKLET
Name
Address

:
:

____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Age
: _______________ Civil Status : ______________
Occupation
: ________________________________________
Highest Educational Attainment : ___________________________
If IP, Indicate Tribe:
_____________________________________
PantawidPamilya Beneficiary? Yes:________ No:_________
Religion
: ____________________________________________
Household Members:
Name

Sex

Age

Relationship

Occupation

I
N
C
R
E
A
S
E
D
E
Q
U
A
L
I
T
Y

Control

Participation

Conscientization

Access

Welfare

INTERVENTIONS/SERVICES

I
N
C
R
E
A
S
E
D
E
M
P
O
W
E
R
M
E
N
T

WOMEN FRIENDLY SPACE

The different services that will be provided to the internally displaced

women through the Women Friendly Space will help address their
welfare needs, increase their access to factors of productionleading to
their economic empowerment while also increasing their gender
awareness. All these shall also encourage/lead them to equally
69

18

participate in decision making and planning process and thereby allow

them to achieve equality of control over matters concerning their needs
and interests.

To ensure proper maintenance of the centre and its equipment

4. UNFPA and other International Agencies/Humanitarian Actors

19

Provide
necessary
administrative
and
logistic
support/assistance through the UNFPA Project implemented in
the Department during the pilot testing of WFS.
Provide support in the implementation/provision of services to
internally displaced women

68

Provide Minimum
Initial Service Package for
Reproductive Health
Extend other medical services to the internally displaced
women as necessary

3.5 Local Women Organization

To organize community-based self-help support
groups/womens committees within the evacuation
centres with active leadership

To operationalize the WFS as a venue by organising service

providers on health and well-being, psychosocial counseling,
legal aid, and soon livelihood opportunities etc. coordination with
the RHUs and WCPD of the area, other NGOs and service
providers operating in the municipality.

To organise awareness raising programs at the WFS on issues

relating to well-being, womens rights, sexual/reproductive health
and gender based violence. This would include coordinating the
development, display and distribution of BCC material,
organising workshops/ lectures/talks/discussions on relevant
topics, etc

To organise and coordinate advocacy campaigns to enhance

male accountability for GBV, particularly among religious
leaders, community leaders, professional associations, private
sector, etc

To coordinate, liaise and network with relevant government

agencies, NGOs and CBOs and relevant networks operating in
the area

To participate in review meetings with STB, FO, PSWDO and

MSWDO in terms of monitoring and evaluation of the WFS.

To maintain administrative records of the centre e.g. Calendar of

Activities

67

CHAPTER VII
Objectives and Coverage
General Objective:
The Women Friendly Space (WFS) aims to respond to the effects of
displacement and vulnerability of women to crisis situations brought
about by natural and human-induced disater through the provision of
wide range of services that would address their practical and strategic
gender needs.
Specific Objectives
1. To provide safe and accessible space for internally displaced
women and promote welfare through the establishment of WFS
through equal access to resources
2. To increase awareness among women and the community at large,
on issues related to well-being, womens rights, sexual and
reproductive health and gender based violence
3. To ensure that internally displaced women will have access to
factors of production for their economic empowerment
4. To enhance/develop their knowledge and skills to enable them to
participate and have control on matters concerning their needs and
interest.
Coverage
Internally displaced women in the evacuation camps/transitional
sites/disaster affected community will be the primary beneficiaries of
the services to be provided in the Women Friendly Space.Men in the
evacuation camps are also encouraged to avail of the other services in
the WFS particularly the gender awareness education sessions to help
20

attain gender equality. However, activities for men shall be conducted

outside the WFS or in other venues.

3.2

MSWDOs

3.3

3.4

Supervisethe operationalization of WFS in evacuation

camps.
Conduct information sessions, gender awareness
education for internally displaced women.
Coordinate/partner
with
other
agencies/CSOs/
organizations for the provision of services in the WFS.
Ensure that the LGU Referral System service providers
are present in the camps or accessible by the IDPs/WFS
Facilitators should there be cases of GBV.

Provincial/Municipal Philippine National Police-Women and

Children Protection Desk (PNP-WCPD)

Provide protection services such as but not

the following: conduct information session
regarding laws protecting women, how
potential traffickers and abuses, where
incidents, existing referal system in the area;

Provide additional security patrolling in evacuation

camps

limited to
with IDPs
to detect
to report

Provincial/Municipal Health Office

21

Organise and coordinate advocacy campaigns to

enhance male accountability for GBV, particularly among
religious leaders, community leaders, professional
associations, private sector, etc.

Provide health services such as but not limited to the

following: medical and psychiatric care and medication to
clients with mental illnesses;
66

CHAPTER VIII
2. Other Government Agencies

Project Components

2.1. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority

(TESDA)/PLGU Office in-charge of Livelihood trainings

Provide resource persons/trainers

Provide livelihood and/ or skills training applicable to the
situation of internally displaced women in the evacuation
camps

3. Local Government Units

3.1. PSWDOs

Provide resource augmentation to MSWDOs

operationalizing WFS e.g. tents, non-food items needed
by women (panties, brassieres, flashlights, rubber boots),
minimum supplies such as rubber mats, chairs and
tables, equipments if there are ;
Provide technical assistance along women welfare
services and gender awareness sessions
Activate PCAT-VAWC and/or GBV Sub-cluster and
advocate for the needs of women and use of WFS in
their province.
Collect information on the contact details of members of
the provincial referral system and convene regular
meetings
Coordinate/partner
with
other
agencies/CSOs/organizations for the provision of
services in the WFS.
Conduct awareness raising programs at the WFS on
issues relating to well-being, womens rights,
sexual/reproductive health and gender based violence.
65

1. Social Preparation and Advocacy

The establishment of the Women Friendly Space in evacuation
camps will be carried out in close coordination with the Local
Government Unit and DSWD camp management team. In view of
the Cluster System in Humanitarian Settings, the GBV Sub-cluster
under the Protection Cluster shall advocate for the installation of a
Women Friendly Space.
Advocacy campaigns directed towards other government
organizations and local and international NGOs as key
humanitarian actors shall also be conducted to support the WFS in
terms of service delivery.
2. Information Dissemination
In coordination with the camp manager, the WFS facilitator through
the Committee on Protection and Grievance shall be responsible
for disseminating information about the Women Friendly Space and
its different services to all internally displaced women.
3. Service Delivery
The Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Framework will
serve as the guide in the provision of services to internally
displaced women through the different levels of equality which
include welfare, access, conscientization, participation and control.
The WFS Facilitatorsin close coordination and partnership with the
22

identified service providers shall be responsible in the delivery of

services to internally displaced women.

1.4. Capacity Building Group

4. Monitoring and Evaluation

This involves the conduct of periodic monitoring and evaluation to
ensure effectiveness of the strategy for the purpose of improving
service delivery as well as replication to other evacuation camps.
This shall be done in different levels, DSWD Central Office, DSWD
Field Office and the Local Government Unit. Monitoring tool shall
be used to gauge the effectiveness and responsiveness of the
project.

1.5. Standards Bureau

5. Partnership and Networking

This involves tapping and maximizing local, national and
international resources, linking/partnership with other agencies and
organizations and resource mobilization for the implementation of
the services in the WFS.

Develop modules for gender awareness education in

consultation with STB and GAD TWG

Identify/mobilize volunteers with background and

expertise on womens empowerment and gender equality
to provide support in the operation WFS or can serve as
the WFS Facilitator.
Provide technical inputs in the development of standards
of WFS

1.6. Policy Development and Plans Bureau

Provide technical inputs in the development of a genderresponsive monitoring and evaluation tools.

1.7. DSWD Field Office

23

Ensure the establishment of WFS in the evacuation

camps being the lead agency in camp management.
Provide technical assistance to LGUsalong the provision
of services in the WFS.
Provide resource augmentation in terms of food and nonfood items, hygiene kits, among others.
Advocate for the use of WFS and assist in mobilizing
service providers
DRRRU to identify existing WFS structures in the
evacuation camp/transitional sites and request technical
assistance from PSU in the provision of services to
women if necessary.
64

CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER IX

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

Operational Guidelines

1. Department of Social Welfare and Development

A. Pre-Implementation Phase

1.1. Social Technology Bureau

Lead in the social marketing and replication of Women

Friendly Space in partnership with DRRROO.
Undertake capacity-building of implementers along WFS
Management
Provide technical assistance and resource augmentation
to Field Offices, NGOs, CSOs and LGUs in the
institutionalization of WFS

The pre-implementation shall cover the Social Preparation and

Advocacy and Information Dissemination and Partnership and
Networking
Social Preparation and Advocacy

In every City/Municipality Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management (DRRM) Plan, the DSWD and LGU shall ensure
that an area in the evacuation camps/transitional
sites/community affected area shall be provided for the
establishment of WFS.

Meeting with Camp Coordination and Camp Management

(CCCM), Emergency Shelter and ProtectionClusters shall be
undertaken for identification of appropriate space/location for
the establishment of WFS with accessibility and safety as the
prime considerations

The establishment of the WFS will be in close coordination with

the Protection Cluster, GBV Sub-Cluster and Local Committee
on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and their
Children (LCAT-VAWC).

The -C/MSWDO shall identify and tap local womens

organization in the area to co-manage the establishment and

1.2. Protective Service Bureau

Provide necessary technical assistance to Field Office

along the provision of services in the WFS.
Participate in the monitoring and evaluation of the
implementation of WFS.

1.3. Disaster Risk Reduction and Response Operations Office

Institutionalize the establishment of WFS as a strategy in

camp management through inclusion to the Guidelines in
Camp Management
Advocate with LGUs the establishment of WFS in
evacuation camps, transitional sites and community
affected areas.
63

24

operationalization of WFS. Likewise, identify a woman/women

leaders from among the internally displaced to be a potential
WFS Facilitator.

3. Identified WFS Facilitator shall be oriented on the Terms of

Reference or their roles and responsibilities. (See Annex F for the
Term of Reference).

The camp manager under the supervision of the MSWDO,to

tapGBV Sub-Cluster and LCAT-VAWC members to provide the
following activities to the officers and members of the womens
organization and women leaders:

4. The honorarium of the WFS Facilitators may be charged to the

LGU DRRM Funds, MSWDO Women Welfare Program funds, local
womens organization or cash for work scheme which is equivalent
to the prevailing minimum wage rate in the locality.

Psychosocial interventions if they are also survivors of the

disaster prior to the establishment of WFS. This is to
ensure that the women leaders are in a better psychosocial
state than internally displaced women in the community.
Orientation of WFS highlighting the framework for the
delivery of services for better understanding and
appreciation of the strategy as well as ne monitoring tool.
Orientation of the roles and responsibilities of the WFS
Facilitator

The camp management team and WFS Facilitators shall collect the
following information as basis for planning of activities and services
in the WFS:

- Number of households and average family size

- Number of female and male residents by age
- Number of female, single and child-headed households
by their age and sex
- Number of persons by age and sex with specific needs
(unaccompanied children, women with disability,
chronically ill and elderly women
- Number of pregnant (and their expected date of
delivery) and lactating women.

25

62

Plan, schedule and monitor activities together with the service

providers and women committee.
To organise awareness raising programs at the WFS on issues
relating to well-being, womens rights, sexual/reproductive
health and gender based violence. This would include
coordinating the display and distribution of BCC material,
organising sessions on relevant topics, etc

To organise and coordinate advocacy campaigns to enhance

male accountability for VAW prevention, particularly among
religious leaders, community leaders, professional
associations, etc

Inform and mobilize internally displaced women to attend the

activities to be conducted in the WFS

Record all the activities conducted in the WFS and keep the
attendance sheet of list of internally displaced women who
were provided with the services.

Maintain the cleanliness of WFS and ensure that its contents

are safe and secured.

Provide initial psychosocial support to any possible victimsurvivor and refer to any service provider utilizing the existing
LGU referral system

To participate in meetings convened by the Camp Coordination

and Camp Management and Protection Clusters at the
Municipal level, and with MSWDO.

61

The WFS Facilitator shall conduct Focus group Discussion with

internally displaced women to identify their needs.

C/MSWDO and CCCM Cluster members shall advocate with other

government agencies, local and international NGOs, group and
individual donors, civil society organizations and humanitarian
clusterstoinvite service providers to support and utilize the WFS in
terms of service delivery.

Information Dissemination

In coordination with the camp manager, the WFS facilitators

through the Committee on Protection and Grievance shall be
responsible for disseminating information to all IDPs by giving
orientation about the WFS during meetings or assemblies.
Services available and schedule of activities shall be posted
outside the WFS.

Referral System shall also be placed outside the WFS.

Partnership and Networking

MSWDO and WFS Facilitator shall identify and partner with

theservice providers who shall conduct psychosocial
interventions for internally displaced women as the primary
service that shall be provided to women through the WFS.

They shall identify and forge partnership with private

companies which corporate social responsibility is inclined for
women and other donor agencies for provision of non-food
items (i.e. underwear, sanitary napkins, family planning
commodities, etc) and food items (ie. foods that meet the
nutritional requirement of pregnant and lactating women).
26

For gender awareness education and other information sessions,

CHAPTER XII

WFS facilitator shall coordinate and partner with the DSWD Field
Office, PSWDO, DOJ Regional Office, RIACAT-VAWC

HUMAN RESOURCE REQUIREMENT

members, MSWDO, P/C/MHO, PNP-WCPDand NGOs for

women.

For other information sessions, WFS facilitator shall coordinate and

partner with other LGU service providers, civil society organization
and concerned individuals.

For livelihood opportunities, WFS Facilitator shall coordinate with

DSWD Field Office Sustainable Livelihood Program, TESDA,
Provincial Agricultural Office (PAGRO), Public Employment Service
Office (PESO), World Food Programme, and NGOs providing
livelihood activities.

B. Implementation Phase

1. The Women Friendly Space shall be managed by a team of at least three

WFS Facilitators, who are members of local womens organization and
internally displaced women.

2. Under the direct supervision of the MSWDO and camp manager,

the WFS Facilitators will be responsible for the following:

Manage the day to day activities in WFS under the supervision

of the camp manager

Assist the camp management team in the conduct of profiling

of internally displaced women to include the following data:
o Number of households and average family size
o Number of female and male residents by age
o Number of female, single and child-headed households
by their age and sex
o Number of persons by age and sex with specific needs
(unaccompanied children, women with disability,
chronically ill and elderly women
o Number of pregnant (and their expected date of
delivery) and lactating women.

Identify the needs of internally displaced women by conducting

interviews or group interviews with internally displaced women

Coordinate, liaise and network with concerned or possible

agency which can address the identified needs and can provide
the needed services in the WFS.

The implementation phase shall focus on the delivery of services

and monitoring and evaluation
Service Delivery
The service delivery shall take into consideration the phases of
emergency and the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment
Frameworkas the guide in the provision of services to internally
displaced women. It shall be facilitated by the WFS Facilitators in
close coordination and partnership with the identified service
providers. The illustration below shows the specific services to be
provided according to the phases of emergency:

27

60

 Supplies (bond papers, cartolina, ball pens, notebook,

pencils, - others)
Supplies for 0-3 year old dependents e.g. rubber mats,
hammocks, toys
The above materials can also be made available to the
WFS in the evacuation camps if there are enough
resources

WFS should not be used as stockroom for relief goods and

other materials

Phase 1.
PRE-CRISIS
(before the
disaster strikes)

Prepositio
n of WFS
Kits

Phase 2. CRISIS(when the

disaster strikes)

Services
Welfare

Under

Provision of Basic
Requirements for
Food and NonFood Items
Medical
and
Reproductive
Health
Psychosocial
Support
Intervention
The WFS as an
Entry to the LGU
Referral System

Service Providers
Needed
WFS Facilitator
Members
of
Local womens
organization
Social Workers/
PSP Providers
Medical
Doctors/Health
Professionals/M
idwives/Dentists
Donors for FI
and NFIs
Breastfeeding
Counsellors

59

Phase 3.
STABILIZATION(when
immediate emergency needs
have been addressed)

Service Providers
Needed
WFS Facilitator
Project Development
Officers
Social Workers
DSWD, TESDA and
Other organizations
providing livelihood
opportunities

Services Under Access

Cash for Work/Cash
Coupon/Food for
Work
Sustainable
Livelihood for
Women
Basic Business
Management/
Entrepreneurial Skills
Enhancement

Phase 4.
RETURN/RECOVERY
(when those who are
displaced are returning home
and/or the focus is on
rebuilding systems and
structures and transitioning to
development)

Services Under
Participation and
Control
Leadership
Community
Participation

Service
Providers
Needed
Social Workers
WFS Facilitator
Members of local
womens
organizations
Volunteers

Services UnderConscientization
1.
Gender Awareness Education
2.
Information Session

Service Providers Needed

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

WFS Facilitator
Social Workers
Police Officers
Paralegal Medical Doctors/Health
Professionals/Midwives Municipal Health Officers
GAD Focal Persons

28

Each of the services is described in details below:

The interior areas must be large enough that can

accommodate at least 25-30 internally displaced women as
an ideal number for an activity.

There should be an enclosed area where initial intervention

and/or counseling to victims-survivors of gender based
violence can take place to ensure the confidentiality of the
case. This enclosed area may also serve as a
breastfeeding area.

The enclosed area should be part of the design during

construction.

There must be an activity area for children where women

can temporarily place their children while they are
attending any activity being provided in the WFS. If there is
an existing Child Friendly Space (CFS) in the evacuation
camp, the WFS can be set-up beside it.

WFS should be equipped with the following materials:

WELFARE
Services under this level of equality shall be provided immediately after
the disaster strikes. These may refer to but not limited to the following:
1. Provision of Basic Requirements for Food and Non-Food Items
-

Distribution of food to meet the nutritional requirement of

pregnant and lactating women.
Non-food items e.g. flashlights/solar lamps, brassieres, panties,
hygiene kits, sanitary napkins/cloth______, etc.

2. Medical and Reproductive Health

-

Prenatal check-ups for pregnant women

Breast feeding Counselling and session with pregnant and
lactating women
Reproductive Health check-ups for women of reproductive
age (menarche up to pre-menopause)
Provision of family planning commodities
Other medical and dental check-ups for women

3. Psychosocial Support Intervention

It is any type of local or outside support which aims to protect or
promote psychosocial well-being and/or prevent or treat mental
disorder. It is also a process of meeting emotional, social, mental
and spiritual needs, all of which are considered essential elements
of meaningful and positive human development. It goes beyond
simply meeting the persons physical needs.15
15

Tarpaulins for
- WFS Logo (See Annex D)
- LGU GBV Referral System with contact details
(See Annex E)
- GBV prevention and response key messages
Copies of primers/briefers on laws related to women
such as RA 9262, RA 9208, RA 9710, and others
Curtains
Tables and Chairs
Whiteboard , Erasers, Whiteboard and permanent
markers

Psychosocial Support Training Manual, DSWD

29

58

an existing Child Friendly Space (CFS) in the evacuation

camp, the WFS can be set-up beside it.

WFS should be initially equipped with the following

materials:
Tarpaulins for
- WFS Logo (See Annex D)
- LGU GBV Referral System with contact details
(See Annex E)
- GBV prevention and response key messages
- Curtains
WFS should not be used as stockroom for relief goods and
other materials

2. Transitional Sites

It must be well built to ensure safety and security at all

times and should be well ventilated.

WFS can be a semi-permanent structure.

This would include provision of critical incidence stress debriefing,

counselling, distracting activities and opportunity for women to
express their feelings, emotions and experiences in crisis situations
to avoid further trauma.
4. The WFS as an Entry to the LGU Referral System
WFS will serve as the entry to the referral system in responding to
GBV cases in a timely and confidential manner.
In case that a survivor approaches the WFS Facilitator for help, she
shall orient the survivor of the referral system and allow her to
choose.
The Referral System is a cooperative framework through which
government agencies carry out their obligations to protect and
promote the human rights of the victim-survivors of violence,
coordinating their efforts in a strategic partnership with NGOs/FBOs
and civil society as a whole. The main purpose is to ensure the
human rights of victims of violence are respected and to provide an
effective way to refer these victims to support services to address
their various needs.16
Further, Gender-Responsive Case Management (GRCM) shall be
employed in managing cases of victim-survivors. GRCM is a
practice model in managing victim-survivors of VAW.

16Guidelines

in the Establishment and Management of a Referral System on VAW at

the LGU

57

30

ACCESS

indigenous materials available in the area. This will allow

the WFS to be transferred in other area should there be a
movement from one place to another for continuous
provision of services to IDPs.

Services under Access shall be provided to women when immediate

welfare needs have been addressed. WFS Facilitators shall coordinate
with different agencies to advocate in the provision of livelihood
opportunities for women such as the following:
1. Cash for Work/Cash Coupon/Food for Work
Livelihood, Early Recovery and Food Clusters are utilizing these
schemes to provide access to IDPs capable of working on a 10day period and shall be paid through cash or food.
Agencies that are implementing these measures will be
encouraged to identify activities that can encourage and allow
equitable access of IDP women to cash and food for work
programme. In addition, where applicable, women friendly space
facilitators will also be enrolled in the cash/food for work
programme for their honorarium.

The interior areas must be large enough that can

accommodate at least 25-30 internally displaced women as
an ideal number for an activity.

There should be an enclosed area where initial intervention

and/or counseling to victims-survivors of gender based
violence can take place to ensure the confidentiality of the
case. This enclosed area may also serve as a
breastfeeding area.

An enclosed area may be covered with tarpaulin or

curtains.

There must be an activity area for children where women

can temporarily place their children while they are
attending any activity being provided in the WFS. If there is

2. Sustainable Livelihood for Women

Adopting the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the DSWD,
women with entrepreneurial interest will be provided with skills
training and minimum capital assistance in order for them to start
an income generating project. On the other hand, those that do not
have entrepreneurial interest will be linked to employment
opportunities that would match their skills.
Also to be given attention under this service are livelihood
programs and services offered by other agencies/organizations
and trainings on marketing skills, i.e. rug making, hair cutting and
others

31

56

3. Basic
Business
Enhancement

CHAPTER XI

Management/Entrepreneurial

Skills

Skills enhancement on basic business management/

entrepreneurship will be provided to internally displaced women to
enable them to manage effectively the income generating project
they will be engaged. The modules developed by DSWD and other
service providers be it government and non-government
organizations can also be utilized for this purpose.

Physical Facility

A. Location
In an evacuation camp or an affected community, the Women
Friendly Space can be installed in a classroom, vacant office
facility, if such is available. However, if there is no available room,
a separate tent can be installed as the WFS.
In transitional sites and/or relocation sites, a structure made of
indigenous or any available materials in the locality can also be
constructed to serve as the WFS.

The following modules by DSWD can be used for this purpose:

a. Basic Business Management Skills Training (BBMST)
b. Numeracy Exercises and Social Communication Skills
Development Exercises
CONSCIENTIZATION
Services under this level of equality could be simultaneously provided
with services under ACCESS among which are the following:

B. General (Standard) Design and Construction

At the minimum, the WFS should have the following design and
construction:

1. In the Evacuation Camp

It must be well built to ensure safety and security at all

times and should be well ventilated.

WFS can be made of tent which is halfwalled with tarpaulin

at the bottom and half-covered with a curtain. It could also
be made of nipa shingles (amacan/sawali) or other
55

1. Gender Awareness Education

Conduct of activities to raise the awareness of women about the
prevention of gender based-violence. This shall include the conduct
of Gender Sensitivity Training, orientation on womens rights and
different laws related to women such as

Republic Act (RA) 9262 Anti-Violence Against Women and Their

Children Act,
RA 9208 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and
RA 9710 Magna Carta of Women,
RA 8353 Anti-Rape Law.

32

Mens involvement is crucial to combat gender-based violence and

to attain gender equality, thus a separate session for men on these
activities should be highly encouraged.
2. Information Session
The following sessions from the Modular Packages for Women
developed by DSWD will also be provided:

worker should explain the possible consequences of such

decision.
d. Initiate a symbolic ending of the helping relationship such
as dining out, exchange of mementos or hugging each
other that will make each one feel good during the parting.
e. The victim-survivor should also be assured of a follow-up to
make sure everything is well with her.

a) Self-Enhancement
In this module, women will be given an opportunity to have selfdiscovery by identifying their strengths and weaknesses,
assess the different roles they perform as women, be
knowledgeable of the laws that protect them as women, and
acquire the skills on time management and financial
management.
b) Self-Care of Women
In this module, women will understand the physical and
biological changes in their bodies and proper care and
management of health problems they encounter. This includes
puberty and menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, common health
problems, communicable diseases, self-breast examination
and the danger signs of cancer.
c) Maternal and Child Care Nutrition
In this module, women will learn about nutrition and the effects
of choosing the right kind of food everyday as well as the
consequences if the meals of the family do not provide a
balanced diet. They will also know the right amount of food that
normal adults, children, sick persons and elderlies need.
33

54

2. Guide on Case Closure and Follow-up:

d) Early Childhood Illnesses

Closure is a mutual decision by the social worker and the

victim-survivor when the intervention objectives have been met.
It is a part of the planned intervention and done in a timely and
responsible manner.
Closure of a case is indicated when the following
conditions are achieved:
a. The intervention goal and objectives set have been
successfully achieved.
b. The client is empowered and able to manage her life and
its changes.
c. The client is safe and danger/risks on his life is not present
anymore and she wants to end the helping relationship.
d. Client decides to end the helping relationship even before
the attainment of the set objectives.
e. The client acts unilaterally and seeks the help of other
people/agency and failed to come back per agreement.
f. The client transferred to another place and requested an
inter-agency turn-over to another service agency.

In this module, women will learn how to treat and prevent

common illnesses of children. They will also learn about
immunization and growth monitoring to ensure their childrens
survival and development.
e) Environmental Sanitation
In this module, women will increase awareness on the proper
use of the environment and how to take care of it for good
health and other benefits.
f)

Session on Spirituality

The WFS facilitator may plan Other information sessions and

use other modules such as e.g. Parent Effectiveness Services
(PES) and Parenting the Adolescent Manual (PAM) and other
modules relative to womens empowerment and gender
equality developed by other service providers can also be
shared to internally displaced women.
PARTICIPATION AND CONTROL

Further, during closure and follow-up, the following also needs

to be ensured:
a. Make sure that the closure phase is clear to the victimsurvivor and that from time to time is reminded about it, so
that it will not seem abrupt or unexpected.
b. Discuss each others feelings in relation to the closure to
make sure that the separation anxiety is addressed well.
c. When an adult victim-survivor wants to terminate the
helping relationship even with unmet objectives, the social
53

Women will have the opportunity to exercise participation and control

as levels of empowerment after they have attended the following
modules and have exercised and applied what has been learned:
1. Leadership
In this module, women will have the chance to develop themselves
as leaders who can influence others and direct their group. This
34

module will equip socially disadvantaged women with the

knowledge and skills of an effective leader.

intervention is working based on the indicators set. Analyze once

more the validity of the assessment previously done, data
collection, partializing the problem and setting objectives.

2. Community Participation
The importance of case monitoring are emphasized below:
In this module, women will realize the importance of organizing
themselves in relation to their involvement in community
activities. They will have an opportunity to understand the
essence of a community and the importance of community
participation. This will create a venue for women to relate and
interact with other women and be analytical in identifying
community problems, their causes, and the possible solutions.
They will be able to discuss and initiate actions on issues that
affect them as a group. The module ultimately aims to organize
and mobilize women to become productive members of their
community.
Related modules/trainings in connection with community
participation/development implemented by other service
providers can also be utilized for this purpose.
OTHER SERVICES
Depending on the identified needs of women in the locality which are
not mentioned above, the WFS Facilitator in coordination with the camp
manager and the C/MSWDO shall partner with other service providers
in order to respond to such needs.
Monitoring and Evaluation
This involves the conduct of periodic monitoring and evaluation to
ensure effectiveness of the strategy for the purpose of improving
service delivery. This shall be done in different levels, DSWD Central
35

a. It serves as a tool to track the progression and regression, the

ebb and flow of an intervention.
b. It is the source of regular information and data for an evidentbased decision-making.
c. It serves as bases for the allocation of increased resources,
new strategies of intervention and innovations for preventing
and responding to the abuse.
d. It helps identify the gaps, constraints and problems as well as
trends, challenges and opportunities in abuse prevention.
e. It proves theories, models, approaches in intervention through
baseline and follow-up data collection.
1. Guidelines on Case Monitoring and Evaluation:

a. Ensure the participation of the victim-survivor, social

worker, members of the interdisciplinary team and other
stakeholders. Bringing in all the important stakeholders
can make the monitoring and evaluation more objective,
enriching and educational.
b. Exercise flexibility. Changes in the design at some point
are needed to conform to more realistic measurements.
c. Gather all available information. Data collection can be
accessed in the progress reports, case studies, group work
proceedings, intake interview and incident report.
d. Identify gender-related changes in the victim-survivor over
time. Example: three out of ten cases recognize that the
abuse experience was not their fault because they failed to
perform well their tasks as woman/wife.
52

KNOWLEDGE: The victim-survivor should know.

Example:
a. Options that are available for her/him
b. List of agencies she/he can ask immediate help

Office through the Social Technology Bureau, DSWD Field Office and
the Local Government Unit.

ATTITUDES: The victim-survivor believes that..

Example:
a. She/he should not blame herself for the trafficking
experience
b. Self- worth is important than anything else
c. Perpetrators are accountable for the act of violence

For PSWDO and FOs being technical assistance provider, a separate

monitoring tool shall be used to highlight program implementation
concerns. (See Annex C)

The Womens Booklet (Annex A) and Facilitators Form (Annex B) shall

serve as the monitoring tool in terms of the progress and impact of the
services provided to the internally displaced women through the WFS.

SKILLS: The victims-survivor should be able to

Example:
a. Avert serious using the safety plan
b. Manage her/him own resources
c. Acquire skills to protect self
d. Acquire skills in managing difficulties in life
BEHAVIOR or PRACTICES:
The victim-survivor
should/could
Example:
a. Practice stress management exercises
b. Regularly attend support group meetings
c. Can share her experience with other victim-survivors.

D. Monitoring and Evaluation and Closure

Depending on how the survivor is progressing, intervention can be
reassessed. The reassessment is done by the victim-survivor and
the social worker and a consensus is arrived at whether the
51

36

pecific: The objectives should be clearly identified.

CHAPTER X

S
M

Case Management Process

easurable/quantified: The intended accomplishments

must be identified and appropriate indicators and methods
must be available.

The Case Management Process discussed in this chapter is based

Gender Responsive Case Management (GRCM) Handbook for Social
Workers. The GRCM model is adopted to ensure that internally
displaced women who are victim-survivors of gender-based violence
are provided with appropriate interventions using gender, strengths and
rights-based perspectives.
GRCM is the process of coordinating and providing direct services to
women and girl survivors of abuses that starts from the recognition of
gender biases against women and girls in the home, in the community
and in society; pursues empowerment as the goal of the healing
partnership and service delivery where the woman sees her value and
status in relation to herself, in the family and in the society; and
addresses the victim-survivors immediate needs and long-termneeds.
The GRCM provides an integrative framework which uses gender as a
practice framework and the empowerment of the survivor as a practice
intervention. It inspires and challenges social workers to analyze and
intervene in the interrelated and interacting sub-systems of the survivor,
his/her family, community and society at large. It is supported by the
RECREATE principles:
R
E
C
R

- Respect for the inherent worth, dignity and rights of

women and girls
- Equality of men and women
- Confidentiality
- Reflexivity
37

ttainable: This is a check on how realistic the objectives

areconsidering the context and resources available.

A
R
T

elevant: The objectives are what the victim-survivor

identified as herpriority.

ime bounded: Provide a timeline for the accomplishment of

the setobjectives.

2. Determine the inputs, enabling mechanisms and prepare the

resources required to support the intervention/activities (i.e.
funds for the transportation expenses, volunteer to escort the
survivor, linkage with agencies, etc.,)
3. Determine the intervention/activities/timeline. Decide what
interventions and activities are needed including the target
period to enable the victim-survivor to make the necessary
changes. For example, immediate services may include
temporary shelter and medical referral while continuing
services may include individual and group counseling.
4. Determine the effects/changes in the victim-survivor. These
are the victims-survivor needs to know, agree with and do
differently before the desired impact can occur. Effect
indicators are used to measure these levels of changes and
include:
50

E
A
T
E

4. A Domestic Violence Self-Assessment Tool (attached as

ANNEX E) may also be used to double check the stage in
the Change Model that the survivor is in.
5. Based on the collected data, analyze with the survivor the
Stage of Change she is in. The validation of data is part of
the consciousness-raising aspect of the healing
intervention.
6. After validating the data, plan with the survivor the
necessary and appropriate interventions using the steps in
intervention planning.

Empathy
Acceptance
Teamwork
Empowerment

espect for the inherent worth, dignity, and rights of the woman/girl.

R
E

quality of women and men: To pursue gender equality and

womens empowerment, the social worker must personally and
professionally believe in and be committed to the achievement of
equality between women and men.
onfidentiality: The survivors right to privacy should be respected
and observed. Case-related information is not to be shared with
anyone outside the professionals involved in the helping process
unless authorized by the survivor or, in the case of a minor, her
duly authorized guardian.

C. Intervention Planning, Partnership and Implementation

Intervention planning, which is the process of working out with the
victim-survivor the objectives of the helping process, is important.
Intervention plans should be properly focused on what specific
situations or behavior should be changed. Further, it should be
formulated with the victim-survivor and her family and in
consultation with the interdisciplinary team composed of police
personnel, prosecutor, doctor and social worker.

eflexivity: The social worker is aware of and regularly reflects on

the ways in which her personal and professional values, beliefs,
and conduct positively or negatively influence the healing
partnership, and make the appropriate changes.

1. Determine the desired impact/goals and set the desired

changes to be achieved.
Set objectives that are SMART:

mpathy: This is respect for and understanding of the survivors

feelings, her psycho-social state, and her responses to her
situation. It involves compassion for her and what she is going
through. She is not scolded nor blamed for what happened, or for
what social workers may perceive as passivity in the face of abuse
and violence.

49

cceptance: The survivor is a person with strengths and frailties.

The social worker recognizes these and commits herself to the
healing partnership with the survivor.
38

Steps in intervention planning:

T
E

eamwork: Violence affects the physical, psychological, social, and

economic well-being of women and girls. It is also a crime against
persons. Thus, case management requires a team approach. The
team is interdisciplinary- e.g. social workers, lawyers, police
officers, and medical practitioners.
mpowerment: Decisions and actions are designed to help the
survivors understand the social, economic, and political context of
their situation of violence. It is an exercise of personal and political
power, and taking action as an individual or as a group to deal
with/improve their situation of violence. The emphasis is on the
survivors deciding for themselves, assisting them to secure access
to and control over needed resources, and to acquire knowledge
and skills to function independently. Hence, the survivors active
participation in ALL phases of the healing process. By so doing,
she reclaims the power and control to manage her problems and
her life.

This principle requires a non-hierarchal relationship between survivor

and social worker. The social worker does not look at herself as
someone better and of higher status than the survivor. She does not
direct the survivor on what to do. Instead, she informs her of her right
and entitlements, clarifies, allows her to make her choices, and
supports her, in spite of decisions which the social worker may not
agree with (e.g. reuniting with the violent husband). (DSWD)
The flow of the case management process is shown below:

a. Initial Supportive Responses

STAGES
the Relationship
Questioning

STRATEGIES of CHANGE
but is to engage the survivor in a
rational discussion.

3. Survivors
considers
Change and Options,
Decides to put an End to
Abuse

The role of the Social Worker

is to assist the survivor in
exploring options and in
making informed choice not
to
provide
moral/value
judgment on the survivors
decision

4. Survivor Breaks Away or The role of the Social Worker

Partner
Curtails is to offer encouragement
Abusiveness
using what has been learned
from the previous stages.
5. Survivor Lives Apart
From or Together with
reformed
Husband/Partner

The role of the Social Worker

is to provide support to the
survivor
to
prevent
regression

How to use the DVSA Tool

1. Prepare well for the interview. Knowledge on the Change
Model and the key questions are prerequisites.
2. Study the survivors data on hand to avoid repetitive
questions.

Intake Interview
Initial Assessment
Problem Identification

3. Interview the survivor using the DVSA interview questions

(attached as ANNEX D) to be asked by the social worker.
Write down the survivors viewpoint on each issue.
39

48

Initial Response

b. Gender Assessment Process

Data Collection
Use of Gender Assessment
format

c. Intervention Planning,
Partnership and
Implementation

Intervention Plans
Healing Process and
Empowerment

4. Clarify the active participation of the survivor in decisionmaking and ensure, above all, that the interest of the
survivor is served well.

d. Monitoring and Evaluation,

Closure and Follow-up

Reassessment
Use of Gender Responsive
Indicators

5. Discuss the findings with the survivor and together plan the
intervention accordingly.

A. Steps in the Initial Support Responses:

Psychological testing re: intellectual ability and

personality;
- Psychiatric evaluation, mental status examination
and diagnosis; and
Legal opinion on the case
-

3. Call a case conference with other professionals, validate

their findings, and agree on collaborative measures to
assist the survivor. As the case manager of the survivor,
the main responsibility rests on the social worker.

Domestic Violence Survivor Assessment (DVSA) Tool-the DVSA

tool was developed specifically for survivors of Domestic violence
(Annex C). It is used in the context of the Change Model. The said
Model evaluates issues in two areas: the relationship and the
survivor. Below are the five stages that a survivor may locate
herself in based on her responses to the questions with the
corresponding Strategies for Change:

STAGES

STRATEGIES of CHANGE

1. The
survivor
is The role of the Social Worker
committed to Continuing is nurturing.
the Relationship with the
Abuser.

The following are the detailed steps to be taken during the intake
interview. The intake interview is very critical in the helping process,
hence the social worker must ensure that necessary details are
gathered and appropriate immediate actions are undertaken.
Step 1:
Assess the psychosocial condition of the victimsurvivor
The client most often is in a state of crisis evidenced by:
Temporary loss of self-control; in a state of shock,
hysterical or withdrawn.
Worried on the economic situation of his/her family.
Defensive, insecure of herself and distrustful

2. Survivor is Committed to The role of the Social Worker

Step 2:
Create a safe and stable environment for the client
and family
Providing a safe room/place with privacy

47

40

Offer first aid, if necessary

Make him/her feel that you are concerned
If client is withdrawn, take time to assure her in a nonblaming stance and the confidentiality of information. Give
her time and respect her pace during the disclosure.

Step 3:
Use a gender-sensitive interview
Make the client feel welcome. (Acceptance)
Allow the client to tell her story and express her emotions
(Purposeful Expression of Feeling)
Avoid uncalled interruptions and use short encouraging
words to let her go ahead with her story (i.e., Yes,
understand, please go ahead)
Use active listening, that is concentrating exclusively on
what the client is saying.
Use active observation, that is watch the non-verbal
actions of the victim-survivor as she talks.
Use eye contact as this re-assures the client of your
interest to help.
Use words that are clear, simple and easily understood.
Be concrete and specific and avoid words that need to be
interpreted.
Maintain a non-judgmental attitude.
Control your emotions so that your reactions do not inhibit
the client.

Implications of the roles and activities, access to

and control of economic resources by each
member on family relationships

4. Identify the internal strengths of the victim-survivor

(e.g. positive attitude, resiliency) and the personal
factors that hinder the realization of her potential.
5. Identify the survivors existing external support system
at the level of the family, workplace, and community as
well as the hindrances to her healing (e.g. Barangay
Council does not adhere to the provisions of the AntiVAWC Act)
6. Summarize your statement.

Interdisciplinary Gender Assessment (IDGA) Tool-this

requires almost the same data as the GVSA (Annex B).
The only difference is that IDGA has an additional section
containing the assessment of the survivor by an
interdisciplinary team. The team is composed of people
from different disciplines who use their talents,
perspectives, knowledge and experiences towards the
common goal of helping the survivor.
How to use the IDGA Tool

Step 4:
Make an initial assessment and identification of the
problem
Gather the necessary identifying information and pertinent
data of the case using the intake form
Identify clearly the nature of the problem to avoid wastage
of time, jumping to conclusions and solutions that do not
deal fully with each aspect of the problem. This is done
together with the client depending on her psychosocial
41

1. Coordinate with other service providers for the needed

assistance/services for the survivors.
2. Request professional assessment of the case as
needed such as:
- Medical assessment from health professionals re:
physical condition;
46

It can be used generally with various cases of violence

(Annex A). It has five parts namely: (1) identifying
Information (2) presenting problem (3) gender analysis of
the family situation (4) internal power of the survivor (5)
external power support systems (6) summary statement
and (7) helping plan
Internal factors refer to the survivors strengths and
constraints which may significantly affect the survivors
management of her problems.
External factors are elements outside of the person that
contribute to the presenting problem an outcome such as
the (1) dynamics of gender relationships existing in the
family (2) sustaining and constraining support systems of
the survivor in the family, community and from other
agencies.

condition. If this is not possible, it can be done later after

the immediate concerns are attended first.
This is done by identifying the client system, specifying the
problem in behavioral terms, analyze the problem and
prioritizing the most pressing ones.

Step 5:
Take immediate responsive action
Make the necessary actions/referrals needed such as
medical, psychiatric, temporary shelter and legal
assistance.
Look out for severe anxiety, post-traumatic stress (PTSD)
and disassociation and refer accordingly. Keep tract of the
referrals made to ensure the client has access to services.
Give top priority response to matters that present a clear
and present danger to the client.

B. Gender-Based Assessment

How to use the GVSA Tool

1. Write down the identifying information. Use current
standard format (attached as Annex A)

Gender-based Assessment is the comprehensive analysis of the

client experiences of abuse and violence and her responses within
the context of existing inequalities in society.

2. Clearly identify problem in behavioral terms.

Three phases of gender-based assessment:

3. Analyze gender relationships in the survivors family in

terms of:
- Each members roles and activities in the family
and in the community
- Each members access to and control (i.e.
decision-making powers) over income and
resources; and

1. Initial Assessment

45

Done during the intake stage and is the basis for the initial
supportive responses.
2. In-depth Assessment

Done after the intake stage. It is more comprehensive and

is the basis for planned intervention.
42

Follow-up the initial data gathered through several

collateral interviews and follow-ups with the family,
relatives, friends, neighbors or co-workers of the client.
Stresses through collateral interviews:
o Dynamics of gender relations and violence in the
clients family
o Perceived strengths of clients from others view point.
o Possible support system for the client among her
relatives, friends and community
Use of Assessment tools and interdisciplinary approach to
broaden understanding of client and her/his situation.

Participative involvement is done by:

Establishing with the client that the assessment is a very

important part of the change process and his/her help is
needed.
Explaining the data needed and other sources of
information.
Soliciting her suggestions on the data collection process.
Discussing with her the collated data and analysis.
Summing up the experience and stress the point that the
assessment is the result of their co-responsibility as
healing partners.

3. Periodic Reassessment
b. Use of Gender Lens in Data Analysis

Done during the monitoring and evaluation phase of the

implementation of the intervention plan to appraise the
progress made in the healing process.
Make a summary statement of the assessment to ensure
that all the data are synthesized and ready for the
intervention planning.

Gender-based assessment is done through the following:

a. Use of Participative Involvement
The client participation is an integrated and important part of
the healing process. He/she can best describe his/ her
psychosocial condition, feelings, what he/she can do or willing
to do and what he/she cannot or will not do. This is a process
where he/she gains an understanding of him/herself. It is a way
of giving back a sense of control of his/her situation.

Basic to a gender-based assessment is the use of gender lens.

This tool looks at the different needs and realities of the
deportees, irregular OFWs and victim-survivor. It provides a
summary statement of the assessment to ensure that all the
data are synthesized and ready for intervention planning.
This phase is the basis for both immediate and long term
interventions. It involves the collection and analysis of
comprehensive data that include the dynamics of gender
relations and violence in the survivors family, sources of
support, and negative pressures on the survivor in her family,
workplace and community.
The social worker shall utilize the following tools in conducting
gender-based assessment:

43

Gender Violence Survivor Assessment (GVSA) Toolthis uses a simplified listing of internal and external factors
that are relevant to the presenting problems of the survivor.
44