CHR urges youth to stand up, voice concerns

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is urging the youth to take part in discussions on human rights issues for this year’s National Human Rights Consciousness Week (NHRCW).

CHR Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana explained on Friday, in the kick-off ceremony of the NHRCW, that engaging young people to get involved in such talks would be a step towards safeguarding the human rights of all Filipinos.

“We in the government can take the first step to engage with the youth to come up with solutions and to encourage their participation in shaping the agenda, while ensuring that they can claim and exercise their rights freely and without fear,” Pimentel-Gana said in a statement.

CHR Spokesperson and Executive Director Jacqueline de Guia meanwhile said there would be various booths for the Human Rights Services Fair, which will provide the public human rights services.  A bazaar featuring the products of sectors vulnerable to human rights abuses would also be opened.

The human rights fair will be at CHR’s main office inside the University of the Philippines – Diliman’s compound in Quezon City.

“Government agencies will install booths to bring their services to the public. The fair also includes social enterprise bazaars featuring local products of farmers, artists, non-government organizations, and community-based livelihood programs for the benefit of the families of victims of human rights violations,” De Guia added.

On December 10 — the last day of the NHRCW and the International Human Rights Day — a concert about upholding human rights in the face of dam constructions, extra-judicial killings, lack of basic services, and continuous abuse of women would be held at the CHR office.

The Human Rights Week was institutionalized by Republic Act No. 9201, or the National Human Rights Consciousness Week Act of 2002, which aims to impart the importance of human rights and raise awareness on the availability of such services.

The CHR and the Civil Service Commission co-chair the NHRCW National Committee.  Other member-agencies include the Department of Education, Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, Department of Internal and Local Government, Department of Foreign Affairs, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Navy, Philippine Marine Corps, the Philippine National Police, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Civil society organizations like the Women in Development Foundation, Inc., Lente, and the International Visitor Leadership Program are also part of the committee.

Edited by MUF