NEW OFFICES. Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez (left) leads in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new human rights office and gender and development special protection office at the DOY office in Manila on Monday (Dec. 4, 2023). Both offices will focus on establishing what it hoped to be a human rights-centric justice system. (PNA photo by Ben Pulta)
MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday inaugurated two new offices to focus on establishing what it hoped to be a human rights-centric justice system.
The inauguration of the Human Rights Office (HRO) and the Gender and Development Special Protection Office (GSPO) coincided with the start of the celebration of National Human Rights Consciousness Week in the country.
The offices were put up following the issuance of Department Circular No. 032 on July 14 creating the DOJ Human Rights Offices, and DO No. 402 establishing the Gender and Development Special Protection Office.
"This is monumental as it is novel, for, in the DOJ’s 126 years of existence, there are now a dedicated offices meant to carry out this vision of a more humane and human rights-centric justice system that shall deliver 'real justice in real time',” DOJ Secretary Jesus Remulla said in his keynote address.
Twenty years ago, Republic Act No. 9201 was passed, which mandated all government agencies including the DOJ, to raise the people’s awareness of their basic human rights from Dec. 4 to 10 of each year.
"With the DOJ’s launch of its very own HRO and GSPO, I can confidently say that this mandate will be fulfilled by the DOJ not only for a week, but the whole year round. It serves a clear call for human rights promotion and protection for the years to come," Remulla said.
The DOJ said it intends to continue to pursue policies and programs "to instill in all our personnel a mindset to respect, promote and protect all human rights." (PNA)
