Event Report: UP Institute of Human Rights holds “Strengthening Support for RPRH Law Implementation: Training of Legal Advocates”

The Institute of Human Rights, in cooperation with the Population Commission, conducted a three-day seminar last April 4 to 6, 2018 entitled “Strengthening Support for RPRH Law Implementation: Training of Legal Advocates.”

This seminar aimed to capacitate legal advocates on defending the full implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law (RPRH Law) through building their knowledge and skills on the RPRH Law and other relevant statutes, on clarifying misconceptions on the interpretation of the law particularly for LGU implementers, and on providing legal remedies for implementers of RPRH Law being question and harassed by anti-RH Groups. The seminar also aimed to provide guidance and support to the Legal Support Team in dealing with legal barriers posed against the full implementation of the RPRH Law.

To achieve the goals of the training, several experts were invited to speak on relevant topics. Atty. Alexis Ian Dela Cruz discussed the Role of Law and Legal Institutions in the Philippines. Prof. Elizabeth Aguiling-Pangalangan talked about the International Human Rights Framework and Reproductive Rights, as well as about Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law Provisions on Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH). Atty. Raymond Marvic Baguilat discussed in depth the Salient Provisions of the RPRH Law. Dr. Josephina N. Natividad gave the participants an Overview of Adolescent Reproductive Health in the Philippines. Prof. Emerson Banez walked the participants through the several Legal Remedies and Strategies in Addressing Reproductive Health and ARH Issues. Lastly, Atty. Zharmai Garcia gave a lecture on Fact-Finding and Documentation of Reproductive Health Violations.

Two workshops were also conducted where the participants were given exercises which required them to apply the learnings they received from the sessions. In the first workshop, the participants identified a priority issue that they want to address; they then created a plan on how to address the issue and promote the full implementation of the provisions of the RPRH law. The second one was an affidavit writing workshop where the participants were challenged to write an affidavit with the information that they could extract from a hypothetical interviewer-interviewee situation.

This training seminar is one of the projects the Institute of Human Rights organized in celebration of the International Women’s Month.