Human Rights Online Philippines

PAHRA launches Human Rights Electoral Agenda for 2022

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) launched on Saturday, Feb. 5, its comprehensive human rights electoral agenda called #KarapatDapat. More than 70 representatives from human rights organizations, civil society and grassroots organizations, party-list groups, and religious organizations joined the launch via Zoom and Facebook Live.

Secretary-General Ellecer “Budit” Carlos discussed how crucial it is for pro-democracy forces and citizens to stand their ground and emphasize that human rights is indispensable in good governance and that it should be the primary framework for public service and expressed in political platforms as the nation prepares for the national and local elections in 2022. He said that while there are candidates who are promising to promote, protect, and integrate human rights in their own electoral platform of governance, there are also notorious candidates who pose a threat to human rights and human rights defenders. The Karapatdapat Campaign also enables support for surfacing pro-human rights candidates and prevents candidates who will surely be tyrants and despots from winning the elections.

Dr. Nymia Simbulan, Chairperson of PAHRA, explained the context and process that shaped PAHRA’s #KarapatDapat human rights electoral agenda– highlighting the context of the deteriorating human rights situation and the various “wars” against the Filipino people. “The war against the poor, the war against human rights defenders, and the failing war against COVID-19 created a legacy of violence, lies, and impunity”, she added.

Human Rights Commissioner Karen Dumpit and other groups echoed the need to effectively communicate and popularize the #KarapatDapat HR electoral agenda for citizens and how these translate to and are important in their everyday lives; emphasizing the challenge of conveying Human Rights to the public in a society that is influenced by massive disinformation and historical distortion efforts.

The Karapatdapat Human Rights Electoral Agenda is a product of a long, inclusive consultative and participative process including nationwide consultations involving a broad range of basic sector organizations and formations. It draws upon the practical on-the-ground experiences and change-oriented aspirations, of the many groups which contributed.

The #KarapatDapat campaign will include the dissemination of publicity materials, forums and discussions, organizing and networking, and seeking endorsements from groups and stakeholders. It will run simultaneously and in a similar fashion as the campaigns of those running for the elections but with Human Rights at the center instead of personalities.

References:
Ellecer “Budit” Carlos, Secretary-General, +63 917-649-4065
Christian Gultia, PAHRA Communications Officer, +63 906-359-9353

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