LINGAYEN - - -   The province joins the nationwide  Women’s Month celebration with this year’s carrying theme, “CEDAW ng Bayan, Yaman ng Kababaihan.”

CEDAW, which means Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, serves as an urgent call to raise the consciousness of women of their rights and empower them to become strong and self-sufficient individual.

The National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), the country’s lead agency, through its memorandum circular, has called on all local government units (LGUs)  to focus on the need to generate resources to finance initiatives on gender equality and empowerment of women.

For its part, the provincial  government of Pangasinan, through its provincial social welfare office, has organized  a  group  called   Provincial Federation of  Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI)  with a  mission of  encouraging  women especially in the   grassroot   level  to participate in the development efforts for their own advancement.

Provincial Social Welfare Officer Emilio P. Samson, Jr.  said the KALIPI, which is now on its fifth year, has  been organized in  compliance  with the Republic Act of 7192 of the Local Government Code of 1991 or Women in Development and Nation Building Act.

The passage of RA 7192 aims to promote the integration of women as full and equal partners of men in nation building.

With already  more than 12,000 members and at least 472 fully organized groups from  barangay level, the KALIPI, according to Samson, is now spearheaded by newly elected provincial president Consolacion A. Penulliar who is from Mapandan.

The province’s KALIPI  group led by all municipal social welfare  development officers helps community-based women aged 18-59 years old become involve in entrepreneurial and livelihood activities.

Samson also added  that   the KALIPI is embarking on “Program Edification for Best Practices” or Lakbay Aral  as being  one of the activities of  this year’s  Women’s Month celebration.

The activity aims to seek  innovative practices edification from other KALIPI group of other regions specifically on  the various women  empowerment   programs.

Likewise, a seminar on  Resource  Generation,   Mobilization  and Micro-Financing for KALIPI  members as well as skills training shall  also be part of this month long activities. (Merly R. Tibalao/PIO)