Deaf Human Rights and Legal Access Training-Workshop - Part II

To further empower the deaf from the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela, the Philippine Deaf Resource Center (PDRC) in partnership with St. Paul University Philippines - Knowledge for Development Center (SPUP-KDC) conducted the second Deaf Human Rights Seminar last June 22, 2011 in SPUP-KDC, Tuguegarao City.

The training is part of the project “Strategies for attaining legal access and safeguarding human rights of the deaf in the Philippines” funded by Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), in partnership with Philippine Federation of the Deaf (PFD) and its affiliate member organizations, Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services, Inc. (IDEALS), and World Bank - KDCs.

The fruitful endeavor organized by Mr. Ronaldo Sumait, the KDC Librarian/Knowledge Facilitator, was attended by twenty one (21) deaf participants and facilitated by Mr. Raphael Domingo, Ms. Marites Racquel Corpuz and Ms. Melissa Rubi Rabang of the PDRC aimed to increase awareness and provide training regarding human rights of the deaf among deaf and hearing advocates from the two provinces. Some of the participants have also been active as volunteers and vanguards of fundamental rights for protection from harm of the deaf.

The primary goal of the colloquium was to disseminate information about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). A video presentation in Filipino Sign Language was shown to the participants for them to be able to understand the articles of the UNCRPD. The participants were asked to fill up the monitoring form on the implementation of Magna Carta for the Disabled or RA 7277 and to propose future plans for workshops.

Aside from the lectures conducted, the Deaf facilitators have been assigned to go to the different areas within the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela to gather case information involving Deaf parties. The PDRC through the Deaf Human Rights project would like to see legal access for the Deaf in case proceedings or even before the case is filed.