[From the web] Edeliza P. Hernandez: Ten Portraits against Torture and Impunity -OMCT

Edeliza P. Hernandez: Ten Portraits against Torture and Impunity I am Ms. Maria Natividad Hernandez (also fondly called my colleagues and friends “Edeliza”), a health professional and a human rights defender. I am the Executive Director of the Medical Action Group (MAG) http://magph.org/ since 2001 and a Council member of the International Rehabilitation Council for…

Human Rights Online Philippines

December 2, 2012

2–3 minutes

Human Rights, philippines, technical working group, torture survivors, torture victims

Edeliza P. Hernandez: Ten Portraits against Torture and Impunity

I am Ms. Maria Natividad Hernandez (also fondly called my colleagues and friends “Edeliza”), a health professional and a human rights defender. I am the Executive Director of the Medical Action Group (MAG) http://magph.org/ since 2001 and a Council member of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims for the term 2012-2015. In this capacity, I have gained a huge experience in documenting cases of torture and other forms of human rights violations particularly in providing treatment for torture survivors. From my academic and professional experience in the right to health and anti-torture movement, I am not only equipped with knowledge and skills on the fight against torture, I am as well guided by critical and sharp understanding of the dynamics of the human rights movement in the Philippines.

For many years, I have participated in many human rights fact-finding missions and visited prisons in the Philippines and since 2001, I have been conducting capacity building activities on the popularization of and familiarization on the use of the UN Manual on Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“the Istanbul Protocol”) among doctors and health professionals.

I have been part of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on crafting the Anti-Torture Act of the Philippines as well as its Implementing Rules and Regulations. I have been exposed to many international human rights work representing MAG to the various set of conferences such as the UN Committee Against Torture, the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Cooperation Strategy Multi Stakeholders Consultative meeting in October 2010 and validation and 2012-2013 Biennium Planning last February 2011.

As a specialized trainer on the use of the Istanbul Protocol, I have co-authored several publications, information materials and research studies on right to health focused particularly on providing care for torture survivors based on the Istanbul Protocol.

For most of my professional life, I have worked for various NGOs as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) and the Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC).

I am 51 years old, married and with three children.

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2 responses to “[From the web] Edeliza P. Hernandez: Ten Portraits against Torture and Impunity -OMCT”

[From the web] Edeliza P. Hernandez: Ten Portraits against Torture and Impunity -OMCT « You're not supposed to be here.

December 2, 2012 at 6:22 pm

[…] [From the web] Edeliza P. Hernandez: Ten Portraits against Torture and Impunity -OMCT. […]

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koihernandez

December 2, 2012 at 6:42 pm

Reblogged this on You're not supposed to be here. and commented:
This, everyone, is my mom.

Although I am mostly ashamed when I get introduced as her daughter to her colleagues.

I am not ashamed of them knowing that I’m her kid but I am ashamed of them knowing that I’m her kid.

Confused you didn’t I?

It’s like this, my mom, well, she’s really excellent in her craft.

A perfectionist, an idealist, a realist-optimist kind of person — sometimes, words fail me in describing her (it’s true! when people ask me to describe my mom, i stop and think first of what better word to use — most words, I think is an understatement)

Well, you can say that I’m saying too much or I’m boasting about my mom — but yeah, that’s probably right.

She’s my mom, what can I do.

Yeah, my parents might have missed a time or two in me and my sisters life — but we understood them.

Not just because they apologized but it’s because this is what’s important to them as well.

They fight for us, not just for the people they helped.

…
Whenever I go to a Human Rights assembly for example, everyone would refer to me as “Edel’s daughter” or “Philip’s daughter” — what could have made me prouder?

When I hear people talking about my parents, good or bad, I glow with pride.

…

I love my parents and I’ve understood since a long time that this is their job and they’re not just in this for money. They do their job filled with love in everything they touch and that they’re doing this not just for some but for everyone — even for those who do not deserve it.

…

Last.

Although I’m my parent’s daughter, I am ashamed to say that I didn’t inherit any of their good points or traits.

It feels like I’m a different person altogether.

my sisters got some and I don’t think I got any.

And that’s why I’m ashamed to say that I’m their daughter, because people might misunderstood them — but that’s not the case! It’s just that, I’m different.

I’m not my parents — and right now, I’m not nearly as good as them but everyday, I try to get a few tricks from them and actually learn about life and everything that matters.

My dream is to actually make my parents say — in time, “That Karol, is my daughter.”

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