The loss of loved ones and livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic can increase stress, anxiety and depression. The pandemic’s impacts have also been unequal on a gender spectrum - affecting women more profoundly in several areas, both at the workplace (especially in the health and social sector), and at home with increased workloads due to lockdown and quarantine measures.
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) and the Philippine Embassy in Thailand conducted a workshop on ‘Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Gender Approaches Pertinent to Filipinos during COVID-19’. The workshop aimed to familiarize Embassy staff with basic concepts on mental health, gender and self-care.
The workshop is one of the activities to celebrate the 2021 International Women's Month at the embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Bangkok, Thailand.
H.E. Ambassador Millicent Cruz-Paredes, Mr. Michael Lyndon B. Garcia, First Secretary and Consul, together with the staff of the Philippine Embassy in Thailand actively participated in the event.
Dr. Yvonne Serrano Duque, Senior Public Health Specialist at ADPC, explained the impact of COVID-19 on people’s wellbeing and led a discussion on gender issues around COVID-19 in the Philippines context.
The workshop also contributed to the development of a well-being plan for the ADPC and the Embassy which included identifying future opportunities for learning collaborations.
Photo by: Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand
The workshop was also part of the Embassy’s activities lined up for ‘2021 National Women’s Month’ spearheaded by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). The celebration serves as a tribute, platform, and a call to action that highlights the extraordinary roles of ordinary women in the society as trailblazers and harbingers of change.
ADPC is governed by its nine founding member countries, which includes the Philippines.