Zonta Club of Central Tuguegarao manages a local City Gender and Development Center

On 10 December 2020, the Zonta Club of Central Tuguegarao, Philippines, took the lead in managing the newly inaugurated Tuguegarao City Gender and Development Center (GAD Center). 

The installation of the club as GAD Center Manager is based on a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in line with the Gender and Development Code of Tuguegarao City (GAD Code). Under the GAD Code, the city government enhances women's full potential, uplifts their status, improves their quality of life through the enactment of gender-responsive policies, integrates practices that promote gender equality in both public and private sectors and works to eradicate of all forms of violence against women and children. In passing the GAD Code, the City Government recognized the role of the club in submitting resolutions related to the protection of women’s rights and consequently incorporated the club’s resolutions in the Code. 

The GAD Center is the first in the province. It is essentially a women’s shelter where victims of gender-based violence may seek temporary refuge while deciding on what remedies to take and where she would be given legal and medical assistance through a referral system. The club is eager to help these women and girls who find themselves in very difficult situations.