ASSIST and Women’s Crisis Center wrap up European Union-funded USE RA 9262 project

Nov. 15, 2011 - PRLog -- The Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) and the Women’s Crisis Center (WCC) held back to back activities to wrap up the USE RA 9262 project (Undertaking Survivors’ Experience in accessing Republic Act (RA) 9262 or Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act).

With the theme “Approaches to Violence in the Family Revisited and Enhanced,” the National Network of Family Violence Prevention Programs held a Partners Assembly at the Cloud 9 Resort in Antipolo City last October 17 to 20, 2011.

Highlights include small group and plenary discussions on moving forward with anti-VAWC campaigns, with special emphasis on enhancing services for vulnerable groups, setting up courtwatches, instituting continuing education for service providers, and maintaining the electronic monitoring system for cases. The partners also evaluated the project and expressed commitments towards violence-free communities in a solidarity program.

As a culminating activity, ASSIST and WCC also conducted a roundtable discussion on Revisiting the Battered Woman Syndrome as as a Psychological Concept and Legal Defense at the Sulo Riviera Hotel last October 21, 2011.

Advocates as well as members of the judicial system attended to share their thoughts on the definition, evolution, and utilization of BWS in psychosocial interventions, in education, training, and advocacy, and in the courts.

Speakers include Ms. Lilibeth Santos, WCC Crisis Worker, Ms. Salvacion Baaco-Pascual, Former Program Coordinator of WCC Feminist Research and Documentation unit, who presented research on the BWS, and UP’s Dr. Sylvia “Guy” Estrada-Claudio, who provided a feminist clinician’s perspective.

Also present to share BWS as used in the legal practice were Atty. Arnold C. Abejaron, Atty. Claire Angeline P. Luczon, Atty. Claire A. Padilla and Atty.  Rowena V. Guanzon, the latter, incidentally, being one of the consultants in drafting of the RA 9262.

USE R.A.9262 or Undertaking Survivors’ Experiences (in accessing) R.A. 9262, a two-year research, capacity-building, and networking project, is funded by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) of the European Union.

ASSIST is an international non-government organization focused on capacity-building. It seeks to promote sustainable practices to address social problems in the developing world, with focus on Asia and Africa. It takes pride in its process-oriented approach to capacity building towards social improvement and sustainable transformation. Its goal is to empower its target groups to make them resilient to the social, economic and environmental challenges.

It is presently based in Makati City, but also has operations in India and Vietnam and manages projects in over 10 countries. Through its Partner to Progress philosophy, it has successfully implemented such projects in collaboration with the European Union, United Nation Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), USAID, International Finance Corporation (IFC), GIZ, and DEG/ KFW amongst other organizations. #

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Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST) is an international NGO focused on capacity building. It seeks to promote sustainable practices to address social problems in the developing world, with focus on Asia and Africa.