Philippine Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Arlene Gonzales-Macaisa supported and joined the Women Walk and Work for Peace (WWW4Peace) in celebration of International Women’s Day in Auckland, New Zealand on 8 March 2016. Organized by Ms. Belinda Bonzon-Liu of WWW4Peace Co-Founder in coordination with Ms. Chantelle Poirier of the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) as well as the newly established Nirvana Foundation, the WWW4Peace event marked the beginning of women’s journey to empowerment and acknowledged as well as honored women who have pioneered the promotion of gender equality and women's rights.

Held in Auckland for the first time in its 5th year of celebration, the theme for the WWW4Peace is “Pledge for Parity”. Speakers at the event, namely, Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Gonzales-Macaisa, Auckland Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse, United Kingdom Consul General Kevin Lynch, Honorary Consul of Albania Tane Taylor, Ms. Josephine Bartley of the Auckland Council Local Board, Ms. Apurva Mahire, Ms. Ranjna Patel of East Tamaki Healthcare and Nirvana Health Group, Ms. Bonzon-Liu of WWW4Peace, and Ms. Poirier of IWPG, all spoke on the various contributions of women to social, economic, cultural and political achievements as well as challenged the audience to pledge to take a concrete step to help achieve gender parity more quickly and to provide, educate and inspire others to do the same in working towards peace and equality in this generation.

In her remarks, Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Gonzales-Macaisa touted the Philippines’ ranking in the World Economic Forum’s 2015 Global Gender Gap Index, which jumped two places higher from ninth in 2014 to seventh in 2015, with the Philippines and New Zealand the only Asia-Pacific countries making it to the top 10. The Philippines has been consistent in making the top 10 global ranking since 2006. She emphasized the need for advocacy for women's advancement everywhere in every way and asked “each and every one to spread the word for the need to do more, to speak more, to pledge more for the sake women’s parity”. She encouraged the audience to “be inspired to challenge the status quo for women's equality and be instrumental in inspiring positive change”.