Sicogon Development Cooperation v. Farmer Amelia
Posted by Colette Van der Ven at Aug
Farmers of Sigogon Island with their Families. Farmer Amelia is one of the inhabitants of Sicogon Island in Iloilo, Philippines—an island of miraculous beauty complete with pristine beaches and transparent turquoise waters. A few months ago, Justicemaker Jae invited Amelia to attend a paralegal workshop for women farmers. Eager to acquire legal skills and knowledge, […]
JusticeMaker Jae Helps Rural Women Find their Voice as Paralegals
Posted by Colette Van der Ven at Jul
“When I play cards with the neighbors, in which category should I put it?” asked Elsa, one of the conference participants. Within seconds the room exploded with laughter. It was the kind of laughter that had been buried for years. Now that it had been triggered, it came out all at once. Elsa had asked […]
Justice: A Treacherous Labyrinth
Posted by Colette Van der Ven at Jul
Victory seemed so near that day. After three visits to the Philippine National Police, two arrests and a trip to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Lucena, the one thing that was left to do for the farmers of Nilantagan in San Francisco, Philippines, was to wait —for the good news. Overjoyed in anticipation, when […]
From Guerrilla Fighter to Human Rights Activist
Posted by Colette Van der Ven at Jul
Each year in the Philippines, many human rights activists receive death threats, and some get killed. To continue working in this hostile environment, activists rely heavily on each other for support. Whether the issue is agrarian reform, corruption, or juvenile detention, human rights defenders are closely connected. One of JusticeMaker Jae’s “human rights friends” is […]