The Philippine Women Judges Association (PWJA) will open today its 20th Annual Convention-Seminar alongside the Regional Conference of the Asia-Pacific Region of the International Association of Women Judges’ (IAWJ) at the Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay City with the theme: “Protecting The Rights of Women and Children Across the Asia Pacific Region.”
Supreme Court Associate Justice Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro, concurrent president of the PWJA and the IAWJ will welcome delegates to the three-day twin event that will end Friday, May 15, 2015.
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno will give an inspirational talk while Senator Grace Poe Llamanzares will be the guest speaker.
Topics for plenary sessions are: Trafficking of Persons, Protection Orders (Anti-Violence Against Women and Children), The Filipino Children in Conflict with the Law and Court Diversion, Cybercrimes on Women and Children and Anti-Voyeurism Law, and Child Custody Border issue.
The panelists are women judges from the Philippines, Taiwan, India, New Zealand, Canada, and Singapore. Joan D. Winship, executive director of the IAWJ will lead the foreign participants.
The PWJA was founded by retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Ameurfina A. Melencio Herrera on September 5, 1987. Since then, the PWJA has gained recognition in the international legal community as an effective advocate on the protection of the rights of women and children.
The PWJA, under the leadership of Justice De Castro, has been tapped by international institutions to contribute to the enrichment of the discussions by judges, lawyers, and legal experts from different countries on women’s rights, gender equality, and judicial administration.
Manila Bulletin
