THE COURAGE—AND COLOR—TO SAY NO

Women’s groups and representatives of various government agencies (above), along with members of the international community, including officials and staff of the Philippine office of the United Nations, go on a Solidarity March on Friday at Greenfield District, Mandaluyong City. The gathering, organized by the UN Population Fund, is among the activities signaling the start of the Campaign to End Violence Against Women, which is annually observed in the country from Nov. 25 to Dec. 12. This year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was also commemorated on Friday. In a related event (left), Perkin So, senior assistant vice president of SM Mall of Asia; UN Population Fund representative Dr. Leila Joudane; and lawyer Kristine Yuzon-Chaves, executive director of the Philippine Commission on Women, lead the switch-on ceremony that lights up the SM Mall of Asia globe in orange, the color chosen to symbolize the global campaign to end violence against women.