By Daryl Jimeno, SDO correspondent
“Defending Human Rights; Dignifying the Marginalized.”
Joining forces to champion human rights, the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, through its Social Awareness and Community Service Involvement (SACSI) office, forged a partnership with the Commission on Human Rights Region IX on establishing the region’s first-ever Center for Human Rights Education.
The partnership is set to put up a Human Rights Education Center in AdZU that will empower and champion the rights of the vulnerable sectors of society and promote Filipinos’ welfare, especially in Western Mindanao. The program will be run by SACSI, through its Human Rights Volunteer Group, and in collaboration with AdZU College of Law’s Center for Legal Services.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the AdZU-CHR collaboration is seen to fortify AdZU’s culture of human rights through human rights education and activities involving instruction, research, and community extension activities grounded on Ignatian formation and values.
AdZU and CHR sealed the partnership with the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement last December 17, 2020, with Father President Karel San Juan SJ and Asst to the President for Social Development John Mayo Enriquez from AdZU, and Regional Director Atty Judelyn Macapili and Promotion Division OIC Daniel Paculanang from the Commission on Human Rights for Region 9.