MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 12, 2012) – The Philippines on Tuesday hosted the 1st National Consultation Meeting of ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights on Trafficking in Persons.
Ambassador Rosario Manalo, AICHR-Philippine Representative, convened the meeting together with Professor Aurora Javate De Dios, Philippine Representative to the ASEAN Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), as chairperson.
De Dios gave a presentation on the Concept Paper on Trafficking in Persons from a Human Rights Perspective. Undersecretary Mary Grace Tirona of the Commission on Filipino Overseas, Jane Arceo, Executive Officer of Inter Agency Council Against Trafficking, and Jean Enriquez, Executive Director of Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific also shared their expertise in trafficking, according to the statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Police Director Alfredo Caballes, of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, gave a briefing of the draft ASEAN Convention on Trafficking in Persons and its status in the Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime.
The national consultation was organized to prepare the Philippine position and concept paper on Trafficking in Persons from a Human Rights Perspective for approval by the AICHR representatives of ten ASEAN Member States.
The Philippines is hosting an AICHR regional workshop in May next year.
Representatives from government agencies of IACAT, civil society organization and observers from the EU Delegation and Canadian Embassy in Manila participated in the meeting. The participants came up with their proposal on the Rights Based Approach in addressing Trafficking in Persons.
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