Book on enforced disappearances out Saturday

To mark the 17th anniversary of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (Afad), the book “From Grief to Courage” will be launched at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Justitia Room of the Ateneo Law School, Rockwell Center, in Makati City.

The book chronicles best practices in many countries which went beyond advocating for legislation against enforced disappearances. It highlights the strength of the responses of the international community to the global problem of enforced disappearances.

Jose Luis Martin C. Gascon, chair of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHR) is the keynote speaker at the launching. Panelists for the forum that follows are Fr. IJ Chan-Gonzaga of the Ateneo Law School; Amihan Abueva, regional executive director of Child Rights Coalition-Asia; Mary Ann Burgos of the Free Jonas Burgos Movement; Ron de Vera, son of a victim; lawyer Bombi Sunga of the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent; CHR commissioner Leah Tanodra Armamento; Milabel Cristobal of the De La Salle University College of Law, and Lina Castillo Sarmiento of the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board.