After a one-year training on “Accommodating (Women and Children) Victims of Crime Who Have Disabilities,” 55 police personnel in Negros Oriental will be recognized by GPRehab and the Philippine National Police for having successfully completed and participated in it which generally aimed at increasing their capacity in accommodating Persons with Disabilities (PWD). It started in April 2010 and will end this month.
The police personnel come from the different cities and municipalities of Negros Oriental and are Women and Children’s Concern Desk Officers.
After the training, the trained police personnel are expected to echo or share training insights to their fellow law enforcers in their respective stations; make use of the handbook on strategies of effective accommodation; act as PWD Desk Officers in their respective cities or municipalities; create a paralegal team which will serve as advocates for the rights of PWD victims and; facilitate the creation of database system in Negros Oriental which will contain information and data about PWD.
The recognition ceremony will be on June 3, 2011, 1pm at Bethel Guest House. This will be attended by the PNP personnel in Negros Oriental, GPRehab staff, government officials, and the PWD sector.
One of the training participants said, “An informed and knowledgeable police force will surely create a big help to the PWD sector. We, the police personnel, are very crucial in making sure that PWDs, especially women and children, have access to justice. Without our strong involvement, all efforts towards protecting the rights of PWDs would be meaningless.”
The one-year training on was also supported by the Silliman University Psychology Department, and Gender Watch against Violence & Exploitation (GWAVE).