The need to institutionalize a VAW Referral System for managing and monitoring VAW cases stems from the fact that victim-survivors have complex needs and that all applicable interventions require the coordinated effort of different agencies and service providers. A functional Referral System employs a multi-disciplinary approach where all local and national response mechanisms work together within standard referral and case management protocols to ensure that specialized programs and services are efficiently accessible and provided to victim-survivors.

Consultations with stakeholders also revealed that existing referral systems are loosely coordinated, informal, and left unmonitored or unevaluated. Some observed that not all service providers are fully capacitated to facilitate the referral of victim-survivors to other agencies that can respond to their needs.

In response, DILG issued Memorandum Circular No. 2012-61 to add monitoring and evaluation activities to the functions of the LCAT-VAWCs and provide guidelines on establishing and operating VAW referral systems at the LGU level.

The Council is updating the said guidelines to include newer response mechanisms and referral pathways, outline additional protocols for special circumstances such as disasters and national health emergencies, and introduce the adoption of the Standard VAW Forms for better data harmonization.

Resources:

• • DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2012-61: Adoption/Implementation of the Guidelines in the Establishment and Management of a Referral System on Violence Against Women at the Local Government Unit Level

• • Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2010-1: Creation of Local Committees on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and their Children (LCAT-VAWC)

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

• • Standard VAW Forms