Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, March 21, challenged men to join in the fight for gender equality and create safer spaces for girls and women in the communities. Duterte posed the challenge during her speech as the guest of honor and speaker during Quezon City Police District’s (QCPD) Women’s Month celebration and flag raising ceremony at the QCPD Grandstand in Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. “There is an open invitation for men to join the cause. And by joining the cause, you commit to cultivating peaceful, safer, and more empowered communities that actively champion the welfare of the vulnerable sectors in society — including women and children,” she said. The Vice President also highlighted the success of women in male-dominated industries, professions, and sectors, such as the Philippine National Police (PNP). Duterte hailed the decrease in the Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) cases in Quezon City during the first quarter of the year. She noted that QCPD recorded 59 cases of violence against women and children from Jan. to March this year compared to the 77 VAWC cases recorded during the same period last year.                                   (Photo from Inday Sara Duterte/Facebook) “Dalawang bagay ito — una, pwedeng bumaba ang reporting ng mga kaso at ang pangalawa, pwedeng epektibo ang adbokasiya ng QCPD hinggil sa VAWC (This means two things — first, the reporting of cases might have decreased and second, it can also be that QCPD was effective in their advocacies about VAWC),” Duterte said. She conferred awards to the five newly-promoted women police officers, and once more underscored the importance of not being defined by one’s gender. “Today, we will recognize women members of QCPD who have exemplified remarkable dedication and competence by effectively contributing to the attainment of QCPD’s vision and mission,” she said. “And today, we salute them as we congratulate them for their valuable contribution to the journey of QCPD as an institution — and for being living proof that our choices in life, including our profession, are not defined, dictated, tainted, or underlined by the colors of gender,” the official added.