JPCC Commission gives seminar in Iloilo City regarding Trafficking of Women

Pakistan and Women's rights

Subject: Pakistan and Women's rights
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:55:36 -0400
From: pleblancop@aol.com

Greetings:

 

Title: Shadow report presented to the UN Committee on the Elimination

of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) at the United Nations in New

York

 

Pakistan acceded to the UN Convention on the Elimination of

Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1996. Ten years overdue, the

government of Pakistan presented its first report to the committee in

May 2007.

 

A group of over sixty NGOs from Pakistan, with the support of Justice

and Peace Netherlands, CMC Mensen Mensen met een Missie, and ICCO &

Kerk in Actie, took the initiative to write an NGO report (shadow

report) to raise the most important women’s rights violations and

issues in Pakistan that were not fully tackled in Pakistan’s

government’s report. They presented their report to the committee the

day before the government of Pakistan presented its official report.

Besides specific recommendations, the organizations endorsing this NGO

report urged the government of Pakistan to ratify the optional protocol

to CEDAW and to withdraw the limiting declaration that was made upon

accession to the CEDAW convention. The shadow report was originally an

initiative of the Pakistan Support Group in Geneva of which Pakistani

and other NGOs are members, including Dominicans for Justice and Peace

and Franciscans International.

 

In their concluding comments, the experts of the UN Committee on the

Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) presented strong

recommendations to the government of Pakistan. Women’s rights have to

become a priority in Pakistan. The Committee expects the

recommendations to be implemented before Pakistan’s next report, which

is due in 2009.

 

See attached text.

 

Philippe LeBlanc, OP

STATEMENT AGAINST CONVENING OF CON ASS

Here is the complete statement of the Association of the Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines and partners regarding the issue of Lower House of Representatives convening itself into a Constitutional Assembly (Con Ass)

STATEMENT AGAINST CONVENING OF CON ASS

“Make fair judgment your concern, act with justice
for soon my salvation will come
and my saving justice be manifest…” ( Isaiah 56:1)

A travesty of democratic processes was committed in the early hours of Thursday , December 7, 2006, by so-called representatives of the people. Like a thief in the night it robbed us of our rights, of an election and of a constitution.

Are we now to believe that the men and women of the House of Representatives had the people’s best interests in mind when they voted to convene themselves into a Constituent Assembly?

Are we now to believe that it is perfectly all right to convene a Constituent Assembly by only one House of Congress and then bully and terrorize the Senate to submit to its immoral act?

Are we now to believe that these recent robbery will lead us to peace and development? Are we now to believe that political dynasties and the system of patronage will be eradicated by a shift to a parliamentary form of government?

We believe not.

The means and methods being undertaken by these so-called people’s representatives will lead to greater instability and a tighter grip on the reins of power. It seems to us that this obsession for power is at the root of this immoral move to revise the constitution.

The undue haste to revise the constitution even by immoral means is an abominable act. First they tried it through a bogus people’s initiative and the Supreme Court struck this down. And now they wish to ram down our throats a Constituent Assembly that will revise or amend the constitution and prolong their term of office. The audacity is mind-boggling but the intention is crystal clear – to perpetuate themselves in power.

Is this the renewal of politics that our bishops have consistently called for?
Is this the way to our people’s redemption from poverty and dehumanization?

This obstinate greed and lust for power and wealth will lead this nation and people to ruin.

Therefore, we call on the House of Representatives:
to abandon this ill-conceived Constituent Assembly
to focus instead, by deed and concrete acts, on restoring the people’s faith in our democratic institutions.
to heed their conscience in upholding truth and justice
to practice seriously love of neighbor more than love for oneself.
to be faithful to the covenant that they be servants of the people and not their tyrants.

The AMRSP and its Mission Partners will stand its ground and oppose this Constituent Assembly as we join our Bishops in their call for “widespread participation, total transparency and rationality that allows for objective discussion and debate” in a just Charter Change.

We, therefore, call on our member-congregations to discuss and reflect upon these dire developments and together, let us besiege heaven with supplications on behalf of our land and our people and let us pour out into the streets in our numbers to stand up for this.

December 7, 2006
AMRSP
and
AMRSP Mission Partners
Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP)
Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP)
Task Force Orientation of Church Personnel (TFOCP)
Task Force on Urban Conscientization (TFUC)
Urban Missionaries (UM)
Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPICC)
Women and Gender Commission (WGC)

JPCC Conference in Pictures

On top, Fr.Lohale Prakash,OP, the general promoter of OPJPCC, delivers his welcome remark and talk on the current concern of JPCC. (Second picture) the participants posed with the Bishop of Kaoshiung.


As part of the welcome party, some participants excitingly tried the bamboo dance to the delight of everybody!

At left, a discussion on Buddhism's concept of Justice and Peace.

JPCC Conference On Migration, Trafficking and JP Spirituality

Dominican Family Asia Pacific Justice, Peace and Care of Creation Conference

CONFERENCE STATEMENT

Context:
Fifty delegates of the Dominican Family representing 11 countries throughout the Asia Pacific region gathered at St Dominic’s High School, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for the Seventh Asia Pacific Justice, Peace and Care of Creation Conference, 16 – 20 October 2006. The Socius for Asia Pacific, the International Co- Promoter for Justice, Peace and Care of Creation, the Asia Pacific coordinator for Dominican Sisters International and the Dominican Leadership Conference UN representative were also present. We wish to thank the Dominican Family of Taiwan for their gracious and generous hospitality.

The three-fold conference theme included Migration, Trafficking and Justice and Peace Spirituality. Resource persons provided in-depth knowledge of their respective topics, many reporting graphic and heart-rending accounts of their ministry, particularly concerning Migrants on the Move, and Trafficking. Exposure visits to organizations associated with migrant and trafficking issues were insightful. Justice and Peace spirituality within the major religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity) provided new and deeper understandings for the participants.

Declaration:

We, the Dominican Family Justice, Peace and Care of Creation delegates within the Asia Pacific region, having reflected deeply on the themes of Migration, Trafficking, and Justice and Peace Spirituality, declare the following:

We affirm the loving care and efforts of those sisters and brothers whose ministries are currently addressing issues associated with Migrants, Refugees, and Trafficking in the Asia Pacific region.

We condemn all forms of human rights violations, particularly human trafficking, and all forms of abuse and unequal treatment of women in the church and society. We especially condemn the abuse and commodification of women and girls for sexual and labour purposes.

We stand in solidarity with the victims of human rights abuses, especially migrants and refugees and their families, and pledge our supports as they act to regain human dignity.

We strongly encourage support of organizations working with victims of human rights abuses, especially migrants and trafficked people.

We alert our congregations, provinces and communities to human rights abuses in their own country, and urge appropriate actions to eliminate the underlying causes of such abuse.

We recognize that in a spirituality of justice “prayer and action for justice, contemplation and social transformation are all integral dimensions of Christian spirituality. Justice perfectly finds its place as an integral element of a holistic Christian spirituality.” (Conference Address by Quirico Pedregosa, Jr, OP)

We pledge our support for continuing interfaith dialogue and collaboration in joint actions of justice.

It will be important to network and collaborate among the Dominican Family in the Asia Pacific region wherever this would be mutually helpful to fulfill the declared actions. Dated: 20th October 2006

Extra Judicial Killings

Dominican Province of the Philippines

Bahay Dominiko

8 Biak-na-Bato Street, Sta. Mesa Heights

1114 Quezon City, Philippines

Statement

We, Friars Preachers of the Dominican Province of the Philippines, express great alarm at the recent upsurge in extra-judicial killings, especially at the July 31, 2006 cold-blooded murder of REI MON GURAN, a promising young student of one of our educational institutions, the Aquinas University of Legaspi City.

One with the Bicol Association of Catholic Schools, we condemn these heinous crimes. We appeal to the voice of conscience and the sworn duty and plead that they protect the citizens, safeguard their well-being, and uphold the rule of law at all times.

We urge the law enforcers to relentlessly pursue the perpetrators of lawlessness and bring them to justice. And we warn those responsible for trampling on the human rights of helpless civilians, of the inescapable retribution of Divine Justice.

Lastly, we ask our fellow Filipinos who share the same aspiration for a peaceful, just and humane society to join us in the crusade against all forms of violence and inhumanity.

(Signed) Rev. Fr. Allan V. Lopez, OP
Provincial Promoter
Commission of Justice, Peace and Care of Creation

(Signed) Rev. Fr. Edmund C. Nantes, OP
Prior Provincial

Year of Social Concerns

Bishop Deo answers questions on the issue of impeachment. At left, Sis. Sofie,op delivers the closing remark.
Fr.Allan,op delivers his talk and reflections on the Social Encyclicals of the Church as applied to the current social issues of the Philippines. Three hundred ninety three participants composed of faculty members, staff and administrators of Kalookan Diocese Schools Association attended.



Fr.Jerome, the KADSA superintendent, delivers the opening remark for the symposium on Social Issues last August 7, 2006.