27 May 2015 – Professor Aurora Javate de Dios gave a lecture on Women in Migration yesterday to members of the Filipino community in Madrid on May 25. 

Professor de Dios is the Women’s Rights Representative of the Philippines to the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children.  She is currently the Executive Director of the Women and Gender Institute at Miriam College in the Philippines.  

Professor de Dios discussed challenges that Filipinas face as they migrate to other countries in search of work and the Philippine Government’s continuing efforts to mitigate the social costs of migration while harnessing its benefits. The Professor called on her audience to strengthen their support system by way of organizing themselves and establishing linkages with non-government organizations in Spain.

During the lecture, representatives of women’s organizations in Madrid shared their experiences in integrating into Spanish society and networking with Spanish authorities and NGOs.  Some participants expressed appreciation for the lecture, saying that reflected their personal experience and situation.

The lecture was conducted as one of the Embassy’s Gender and Development activities for 2015. END