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Visit to the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines
HSF Chairwoman meets with the Chairperson and Commissioners of the CHRP

The Chairwoman of the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), Prof. Ursula Männle, was recently in Manila to lead the Handover Ceremony to the new Resident Representative to the Philippines in the person of Mr. Götz Heinicke. She was joined by Mr. Michael Glos, HSF Board Secretary and former German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, and Ms. Sylvia Strassner, HSF Deputy Head for East and Southeast Asia Division, Institute for International Cooperation.

HSF

The 3-day official visit to the Philippines from 27 to 29 January 2016 gave them the opportunity  to pay a courtesy call on the new Chairperson and Commissioners of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP).  Chairperson Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon and Commissioners Karen-Gomez-Dumpit, Leah Tanodra-Armamento and Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana warmly welcomed Prof. Männle and her delegation.

It was a fruitful and engaging conversation wherein they shared current developments in the Philippines and in Germany including HSF projects in the country in cooperation with CHRP as well as the strategic plans of the 5th Commission.  Chair Gascon underscored the positive contributions of the “Community-based Dialogues on Human Rights” Project and expressed his appreciation to HSF for supporting this initiative.  He found it important and helpful in bringing together civil society and the security sector to work and interact with each other for the promotion and protection of human rights in the country.  He mentioned the other priorities of CHRP such as child rights; women and gender equality; economic, social and cultural rights; conflict/disaster-related concerns; climate justice issues, and business and human rights, among others.

Chair Gascon exchanged notes with the German visitors on the ongoing efforts to build a Human Rights Museum in the Philippines led by CHRP in memory of the victims of martial law and also for the youth to learn the lessons of the past.  Prof. Männle shared their experiences in setting up a similar structure in Germany and offered possible information and linkages towards this end.

Prof. Männle thanked the 5th Commission under the leadership of Chair “Chito” Gascon for supporting the Community-based Dialogues on Human Rights Project particularly in passing the En Banc Resolution (Resolution CHR V No. AM2015-108) to help ensure the continuity of this project initiative and help sustain its gains especially at the local level.  She assured them of HSF’s continuing support in the future.

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