PCW-IACAT JMC 2023-01 re Integration of Anti-Trafficking in Persons (ATIP) Programs, Activities and Projects (PAPs) in Annual Gender and Development (GAD) Plans and Budgets (GPBs) and GAD Accomplishment Reports (ARs)

To	MEMBER-AGENCIES OF THE INTER-AGENCY COUNCIL AGAINST TRAFFICKING (IACAT) AND IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES OF THE FOURTH NATIONAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS 2023-2027
Subject	INTEGRATION OF ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (ATIP) PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS (PAPs) IN ANNUAL GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT (GAD) PLANS AND BUDGETS (GPBs) AND GAD ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORTS (ARs)

1.0 GUIDELINES

In accordance with Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9710, otherwise known as the Magna Carta of Women (MCW), and in fulfillment of the Philippine Government’s commitment to prevent and suppress trafficking in persons (TIP) through R.A. No. 11862, otherwise known as the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022, and the Fourth National Strategic Action Plan Against Trafficking in Persons 2023-2027 (Strat Plan 4), member-agencies of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) shall:

• Design and integrate Anti-TIP (ATIP) programs, activities, or projects (PAPs) in their annual Gender and Development (GAD) Plans and Budgets (GPBs); and
• Report the status and/or results of the implementation of such PAPs in their GAD Accomplishment Reports (ARs), following the Revised Guidelines for the Preparation of Annual GAD Plans and Budgets and Accomplishment Reports to Implement the Magna Carta of Women._¹

Consequently, this Joint Memorandum Circular sets out specific guidelines for identifying gender issues and mandates within the context of TIP and designing corresponding GAD PAPs to implement the Strat Plan 4. These gender issues/GAD mandates and GAD PAPs shall be integrated into the annual GPBs and GAD ARs of all implementing agencies of the Strat Plan 4 and shall not constitute a separate Strategic Action Plan.

Thus, in the preparation of GPBs and GAD ARs of the agencies concerned, the following supplementary guidelines shall be observed:

1.1 In the formulation of GPBs and consistent with their respective mandates, agencies concerned shall integrate TIP-related gender issues and corresponding strategies identified under: (a) Strat Plan 4 and its Overall Theory of Change; (b) the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, particularly Subchapters 3.1 and 13.2; (c) the Updated Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Plan 2019-2025, particularly Chapter 7; and (d) other similar governmental and multi-sectoral plans on women’s rights, gender equality and gender-based violence (GBV).

1.2 Agencies concerned shall also consider relevant provisions of national laws related to TIP, such as R.A. No. 9208 (the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003), as amended by R.A. 10364 (the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012) and further amended by R.A. No. 11862 (the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022), as well as R.A. No. 11930 (the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act or the Anti-OSAEC-CSAEM Law); international laws, conventions, and human rights treaties, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child,  and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, including the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (the Palermo Protocol); regional and bilateral agreements, such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP); as well as other international declarations, resolutions and commitments;

1.3 To be able to properly identify gender issues in the context of TIP, agencies concerned shall conduct consultations with vulnerable sectors, especially in TIP-affected areas and situations relevant to their mandates and specializations. They shall also generate and/or use gender statistics and sex-disaggregated data as basis for planning, programming, and policy formulation.

1.4 In line with the key result areas (KRAs) of the Strat Plan 4, agencies concerned shall give importance to PAPs on Prevention and Advocacy (KRA 1), Protection and Reintegration (KRA 2), Prosecution and Law Enforcement (KRA 3), and Partnership and Networking (KRA 4).

1.5 In filling-out the GPB and GAD AR templates, agencies concerned shall specifically identify TIP-related gender issues/GAD mandates under Column 1 (Gender Issue and/or GAD Mandate) by labeling and tagging these under “IACAT STRAT PLAN 4.³”

1.6 Agencies implementing major ATIP programs and projects shall ensure and assess the gender-responsiveness of these programs and projects by using the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG) tool. The results of the assessment shall serve as the basis for attributing a portion of or the whole annual budget of the ATIP program or project to the agency’s GAD budget.

1.7 To be able to properly identify and effectively address gender issues in the context of TIP, agencies are encouraged to conduct skills development and capacity-building activities on gender analysis, as well as gender-responsive planning, programming, budgeting, monitoring, and evaluation for their IACAT representatives, GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) members, and program officers implementing ATIP PAPs.

2.0 SPECIFIC ROLES

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and the IACAT Secretariat shall perform the following functions:

2.1 Philippine Commission on Women (PCW)

2.1.1 Provide technical and similar forms of assistance to agencies concerned on gender analysis and GAD planning and budgeting; 

2.1.2 Assist and guide the IACAT Secretariat and IACAT member agencies in the conduct of capacity development training on gender analysis, planning, programming, budgeting, monitoring, and evaluation; and

2.1.3 Provide the IACAT Secretariat copies of GAD ARs and endorsed GPBs of agencies concerned.

2.2 IACAT Secretariat

2.2.1 In partnership with PCW, conduct capacity development training on gender analysis, planning, programming, budgeting, monitoring, and evaluation in relation to the implementation of the Strat Plan 4, in coordination with the GAD and Special Protection Office (GSPO)/GFPS of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other IACAT member-agencies; 

2.2.2 Based on the GPBs and GAD ARs submitted to the PCW, document and prepare a consolidated report of ATIP PAPs of implementing agencies, copy furnished the GSPO/GFPS of the DOJ; and

2.2.3 In collaboration with PCW and IACAT member-agencies, collect data on gender-related TIP concerns in the country, and compile information on gender-responsive TIP programs of all IACAT member-agencies.

3.0 TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Considering that the GAD planning and budgeting cycle for FY 2024 has begun, agencies concerned are hereby implored to integrate ATIP PAPs in their FY 2024 GPBs. Agencies with endorsed FY 2024 GPB may submit an adjusted GPB incorporating ATIP PAPs to PCW following the guidelines set under PCW Memorandum Circular 2023-02.  Thereafter, all agencies concerned shall integrate ATIP PAPs in their annual GPBs and GAD ARs, in accordance with the guidelines set herein.

4.0 EFFECTIVITY

This Joint Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

KRISTINE ROSARY E. YUZON-CHAVES
Executive Director and Officer-in-Charge
Philippine Commission on Women

Attested By:

WENDELL P. BENDOVAL
OIC-Executive Director
IACAT Secretariat

DOWNLOADS

• Copy of the JMC
• Annexes – PCW-IACAT 2023-01

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<sup>1  Issued by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) under Joint Memorandum Circular 2022-01, accessible at https://pcw.gov.ph/assets/files/2023/10/PCW-DBM-NEDA-Joint-Memorandum-Circular-2022-01.pdf?x75245.
2  See Annex A.
3. See Annexes B and C for examples.</sup>