MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ Proclamation No. 1139, December 10, 1997 ]
DECLARING 1998 AS “HUMAN RIGHTS YEAR IN THE PHILIPPINES” AND THE YEARS 1998-2007 AS “HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION DECADE”
WHEREAS, Article II, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution, declares as a State policy that “[T]he state values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights”;
WHEREAS, education is a basic human right and a crucial tool for the promotion and protection of all human rights;
WHEREAS, the United Nations General Assembly, in its Resolution No. 55/88 on 12 December 1996 declared 1998 as Human Rights Year;
WHEREAS, in its Resolution No. 49/184 of 23 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly also proclaimed the ten-year period commencing on 1 January 1995, as the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education and urged all governments to step up their efforts to eradicate illiteracy and to direct education towards the full development of the human personality and the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;
WHEREAS, the Decade for Human Rights Education focuses on stimulating and supporting local and national activities in human rights education by encouraging the establishment of national committees for human rights education composed of representatives of both the public and private sectors to intensify their efforts to establish and implement programs of human rights education, thereby enabling all persons to participate actively and effectively in a free society;
WHEREAS, there is a need to focus public awareness on this mandate and the commitment of the government to the observance of and respect for human rights, specifically, through human rights education.1aшphi1
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the power vested in me by law, do hereby declare 1998 as “HUMAN RIGHTS YEAR IN THE PHILIPPINES” and the years 1998 to 2007 as the “HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION DECADE” in the Philippines.
There is hereby constituted a National Inter-Agency/Multisectoral Committee which shall formulate, establish and implement program for human rights education throughout the country in close coordination with the Commission on Human Rights. The Committee shall be composed of:
| 1. |
Department of Justice |
– |
Chairman |
| 2. |
Department of Education, Culture and Sports |
– |
Co-Chair |
| 3. |
Department of Interior and Local Government |
– |
Vice-Chair |
| 4. |
Department of Labor and Employment |
– |
Member |
| 5. |
Department of National Defense |
– |
Member |
| 6. |
Department of Foreign Affairs |
– |
Member |
| 7. |
Department of Social Welfare and Development |
– |
Member |
| 8. |
National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women |
– |
Member |
| 9. |
National Youth Commission |
– |
Member |
| 10. |
Commission on Higher Education |
– |
Member |
| 11. |
Office of the Press Secretary |
– |
Member |
There shall be two (2) private sector representatives in the Committee who shall be appointed by the Committee Chairman. The Committee may call on other concerned government agencies as it may deem necessary for the successful and effective implementation of its tasks.
I urge all government offices and agencies, non-governmental organizations, professional associations, human rights educators and advocates to actively participate in implementing human rights information and education programs and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the SEAL of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.
DONE in the City of Manila, this 10th day of December in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety Seven.
(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
By the President:
(Sgd.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary
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