SIX Philippine universities have received P12.1 million from the European Union’s (EU) Governance in Justice Programme (GOJUST) to champion women’s rights to legal assistance.
St. Louis University, West Visayas State University, Adamson University, University of San Carlos, University of the Visayas, and Father Saturnino Urios University are the six recipients of the grants, which are earmarked for programs that will empower women and improve accessibility to legal services for them.
“Gender equality is one of the European Union’s core values. Ensuring women and girls have equal access to justice is fundamental to building a fair, inclusive, prosperous, and peaceful society,” said EU Ambassador Luc Véron during the virtual event on March 8, International Women’s Day.
One program that all six universities will implement will be the Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP), a Supreme Court-approved course to teach law students knowledge for application of the law, delivery of legal services, and promotion of social justice for marginalized communities.
As for other special programs funded by the grants, West Visayas State University, University of the Visayas, Adamson University, and Father Saturnino Urios University have organized additional programs of their own volition in line with the purpose of the grants.
Véron hopes that the project will ultimately help more women and children in the future.
“We look forward to the transformative work of these universities in the year ahead. Women and girls are key agents of development and change. Their interventions will change lives for the better,” he said.
