The Quezon City government has hosted the first Girls Summit 2025 with the theme “Stand with Girls,” attended by more than 400 young women leaders from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city has about a million children, nearly half of whom are minors, stressing the need for greater awareness of gender and child protection issues.
She cited a case in Novaliches where 10 women, including seven minors, were rescued from sexual exploitation through coordinated city government efforts.
Belmonte noted that women and girls are 14 times more vulnerable during disasters due to a lack of knowledge and awareness of gender and development issues.
She said the summit aims to empower young women through leadership training, education, and advocacy on gender equality and child rights.
