On December 5, 2024, WSAP released a statement for the 18-Day Campaign to End VAW. The Regional Consultations on the BPfA+30 were organized by Homenet Philippines, Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP), Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation (GWAVE), Talikala Inc. with cooperation with Women's and Gender Studies Association of the Philippines (WSAP), Women and Gender Institute (WAGI), and Women's Legal and Human Rights Bureau (WLB), and supported by Philippines Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and UN Women. Below is the statement,

WSAP supports the call of the participants at the Regional Consultations on BPfA+30 held on November 25 to 29, 2024 from

National Capital Region (NCR) Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao

As we commemorate the 18-day campaign to end violence against women, let us march the streets and speak our truths. No one deserves to be violated. No one deserves to be abused.  Everyone deserves to live in a society where we can walk, speak, join mobilizations, and participate in protests freely - without fear, judgment, or discrimination.

We need to continue to raise public awareness and demand accountability from the government.  Ending all forms of violence against women and girls requires action—not just words.

The government has an obligation to ensure that victims of violence have access to affordable, effective, and fair justice systems.

This 18-day campaign is the time to renew our collective call for a stronger government commitment to prevent all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). Gender biases, discrimination, and sexism must end. Our norms and culture should never be used as excuses to justify violence - violence has no place in our culture and never will.

Let us all contribute and take action toward ending all forms of VAWG now!

We want a society that is free from any form of violence because all women and girls deserve no less. 

#18daycampaigntoendVAW

#16Days #NoExcuse

As a response to the misconception and attacks received by the olympic athletes, WSAP released a statement on August 7, 2024. 

WSAP Statement for the Promotion of Women’s and lGBTQIA+ Rights in Sports

The Women’s and Gender Studies Association of the Philippines (WSAP) respects all persons with diverse and intersecting identities. It is a person’s freedom to declare their gender identity free from prejudice and judgment. As we rejoice in the remarkable achievements and contributions of our Filipino athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games, let us also remember that there are still individuals who continue to experience hate and discrimination. While we celebrate, we must remain committed to promoting women’s rights and the rights of individuals regardless of diverse and intersecting identities, even in sports.

The recent criticism of the female Algerian Olympian boxer highlights a broader issue: a pervasive lack of knowledge about intersex and transgender individuals. Intersex individuals, often misunderstood and misrepresented, are born with variations in sex characteristics that do not fit the typical definitions of male or female. Meanwhile, a transgender person, often abbreviated as a trans person, is someone whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. Unfortunately, hatred and discrimination against women, transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and other individuals with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, expressions, and sex characteristics remain unabated. They do not deserve the attacks, mocking, and insults due to misinformation and disinformation about them on multimedia platforms and social media.

Such misunderstandings perpetuate misinformation online but also directly harm the well-being and dignity of persons, as seen in the cases of Jennifer Laude, Ebeng Mayor, and many others. Even cisgender individuals, like Olympian Imane Khelif, have been misgendered due to their sex characteristics. The false information circulating about gender identities, women, intersex, and transgender communities has been subjected once more to an unbearable misogynistic trail, highlighting the pervasive machismo and patriarchal ideologies. Intersex, transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and other individuals with diverse and intersecting identities often face greater stigma and discrimination due to a lack of public awareness and understanding. Misconceptions about them contribute to harmful stereotypes and exclusion. This troubling, persistent trend requires our urgent attention and action.

We call on everyone, especially our WSAP members, to be informed and empathetic to all people, regardless of their sex, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and other intersectional identities.

We call on the public to be more discerning in evaluating the information they encounter in the media. We urge the media to use their platforms to educate and promote inclusivity and diversity at all times.

In light of these events, WSAP is committed to educating the public about gender diversity and supporting safe spaces for women and people with diverse SOGIESC, including sports arenas. WSAP is calling once more for the passage of the SOGIESC Equality Bill. All individuals, especially women and LGBTQIA+, should be guaranteed equal rights and recognition as stipulated in our constitution. Without SOGIESC Equality, the spread of hate will persist, denying women and the LGBTQIA+ community safe spaces to develop fully as individuals and citizens.

Embracing diversity and promoting understanding are essential to creating a world where everyone is valued and respected. Let us commit to learning more, challenge harmful stereotypes, and stand in solidarity with women, LGBTQIA+, and all marginalized communities.

On March 8, 2024, WSAP released a statement to celebrate Women’s Month. In the statement, WSAP renewed its call to end the war in Gaza, expressed its solidarity with the 68th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s rights worldwide, emphasized the necessity of women’s involvement in peace and security processes, climate change responses, and access to justice, and urged the Philippine government enact comprehensively national care work policies for women and girls. Below is the statement,

Happy Women’s Month and Happy International Women’s Day

In honor of Women's Month 2024, the Women's and Gender Studies Association of the Philippines (WSAP) proudly acknowledges and celebrates the significant contributions of women in advancing peace, justice, and equality, both locally and globally. Women have been at the forefront of positive societal transformation, from grassroots activism to influential roles in leadership and advocacy.

As we celebrate this occasion, WSAP recognizes the pressing need for peace in Gaza, where ongoing conflict continues to inflict immense suffering upon families and communities. According to UN Women, the situation in Gaza represents a dire humanitarian crisis, with a staggering 70% of civilian fatalities being women and children. Hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been displaced from their homes. The statistics are sobering, with thousands of women tragically losing their lives since the outbreak of the Gaza War in October 2023.

In light of these grave circumstances, WSAP reiterates its urgent call for a humanitarian ceasefire without delay, as it did in November 2023 during the WSAP International Conference in Bukidnon, Philippines. Furthermore, WSAP urges the immediate release of all hostages and advocates for unimpeded humanitarian access to ensure that essential supplies reach those in need, particularly women and children in the Gaza Strip.

The 2024 Women's Month celebration is also an opportune moment for WSAP to express solidarity with the 68th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). We reaffirm our commitment to advancing gender equality and women's rights worldwide. With the Philippines leading the 68th CSW session, WSAP underscores the importance of meaningful participation, addressing poverty and intersecting crises, and ensuring accountability in preventing violence against women and girls.

WSAP recognizes the vital role of civil society organizations in championing women's and children's rights. We call for establishing a robust feedback mechanism to monitor progress at the national level. Additionally, WSAP emphasizes the necessity of women's involvement in peace and security processes, climate change responses, and access to justice. We advocate for protecting women human rights defenders and gender-transformative educational systems from early childhood.

Furthermore, WSAP urges the Philippine Government to enact comprehensive national care work policies and adopt progressive language to uphold the diverse rights of women and girls. By collectively striving for gender equality and women's empowerment, we can create a more just and inclusive society for all.

WSAP released a statement to end the War in Gaza on November 27, 2023 via Facebook. A petition was circulated around during the international conference collecting approximately 150 signatures from students, academic practitioners, CSO and government representatives. WSAP called on all parties to closely observe humanitarian and human rights and laws and conventions, urging UN states to support the call for ceasefire and intervene to protect and aid Palestinians from genocide and ethnic cleansing. Below is the statement, 

We, the undersigned members of the Women Studies Association of the Philippines (WSAP), strongly condemn the indiscriminate bombing of hospitals, schools, refugee camps, residential buildings, and villages in Gaza. This has resulted in the death of tens of thousands of innocent women, children, babies, elderly, journalists, and civilians. Cutting access to food, water, electricity, and fuel to Palestinians as a collective punishment is an inhuman, cruel measure that has no place in a civilized society. This horrible war has to stop!

We call on all parties concerned to observe international humanitarian and human rights laws and conventions. We urge member states of the UN to support the call for ceasefire and step up the flow of aid and protect the Palestinian people from genocide and ethnic cleansing.

As gender and peace advocates, we know that war always has a gender differential impact., where women and girls suffer the most. The escalating violence has worsened the already abysmal conditions in the Gaza Strip. UN Women estimates as of November 11, 2023 based on data from the Gaza Ministry of Health, 7,533 women and children have been killed, 788,800 women and girls have been displaced from their homes, and 2,056 women have become widows and heads of the households following the death of their partners. Due to structural gender inequalities that existed even before the war, they are more vulnerable to gender-based violence and food insecurity and more likely to live in substandard temporary shelters.

We demand an immediate end to the Gaza War, the respect for human rights, including women’s, children’s, and LGBTQI+ rights, and international law! #Ceasefire Now