Law School hosts CALESA Conference on Emerging Human Rights Issues and Vulnerabilities

From April 19-22, 2023, a CALESA Conference entitled, “Emerging Human Rights Issues and Vulnerabilities” was held at the Justitia Hall of the Ateneo Professional Schools Building, Rockwell, Makati City. CALESA is the acronym for “Capacity building for Legal and Social Advancement in the Philippines“.

Atty. Jose Maria G. Hofileña, Dean of the Ateneo Law School welcomed the participants to the 4-day conference.

The focus of the first day of the conference was on “Human Rights Defenders and Media Practitioners.” Talks on the following topics were conducted:

• Human Rights Issues and Challenges in the Philippines from the UN perspective by Signe Poulsen (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
• Human Rights Defenders Under Risk: A European Approach by Felipe Gomez Isa (Deusto University)
• Media and Government Institutions by Melencio Sta. Maria (Ateneo de Manila University), as presented by Amparita Sta. Maria (Ateneo de Manila University)
• Issues and Challenges Confronted by Human Rights Defenders on the Ground by Arlene Bag-ao (former Governor of Dinagat Islands)
• Freedom of Speech from a European Perspective by Mari-Luce Paris (University College Dublin)

On the second day, the focus was on “Vulnerabilities in Movements and Displacements”. The following talks were held:

• Impact of environmental shifts on vulnerable sectors by Ronaldo Gutierrez (Ateneo de Manila University)
• Situation of Travellers in Ireland by Mari-Luce Paris (University College Dublin)
• Issues and Challenges Faced by IDPs in the Philippines by Cecilia Jimenez-Damary (former UN Special Rapporteur on Internally Displaced Persons)
• Issues and Challenges Affecting In-Country Workers by Marlon Manuel (Ateneo de Manila University)

On the third day, the focus was on “Women and Gender Issues”. The following talks were conducted:

• Reproductive Health and Gender Justice  by Amparita Sta. Maria (Ateneo de Manila University)
• State of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights: 10 years after the RH Law by Junice Melgar (LIKHAAN Center)
• Women and the Environment by Grizelda Mayo-Anda (Environmental Legal Assistance Center) (TBC)
• On Transsexualism by Emilio José Armaza (Deusto University)
• Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Discrimination against LGBTQIA+  by Mira Alexis Ofreneo (Ateneo de Manila University)

     On the 4th day of the conference, the focus was on “Issues Affecting Indigenous Peoples and indigenous Cultural Communities.” The following talks were held:

• Challenges Faced by Indigenous Peoples, Globally and in the Philippines by Vicky Tauli-Corpuz (former UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples)
• International Legal Framework on IP Rights (+ Mechanisms for Protection) by Felipe Gomez Isa (Deusto University)
• Self-Determination and Indigenous Peoples by Gaspar González (University of Malaga)
• Autonomy and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao by Laisa Alamia (Member ofParliament, BARMM)
• The Role of Legal Education in Protecting IP Rights by Sedfrey M. Candelaria (Ateneo de Manila University; Philippine Judicial Academy)

Atty. Maita Chan-Gonzaga gave the closing remarks at the end of the conference sessions in Rockwell. The next schedule of the conference is in Baguio on April 24, 2023.

The CALESA Project is composed of four European universities, four Philippine universities and the Philippine Judicial Academy. The European universities involved are: University of Malaga (UMA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL) University of Deusto and University College Dublin (UCD). The Philippine universities involved are: The University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), University of San Agustin (USA) and Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU).