Stories of local and global practices in the movement against violence against women and gender-based violence will be shared by three resource persons in the first Maureen C. Pagaduan Memorial Public Forum Series on Nov. 18, Saturday, 1-4 p.m., at the University of the Philippines’ College of Social Work and Community Development in Diliman, Quezon City.

The graduate class WD 270 (Women, Gender, and Violence) under Prof. Roselle Leah K Rivera of the Department of Women and Development Studies will hold the forum at the UP unit’s audiovisual room. 

The event will honor Professor Pagaduan’s courage, commitment, and compassion in her decades of work against GBV. It brings together her sisters and community to share their experiences, ideas and insights, being in the forefront of the eradication of violence against women in the Philippines. 

It will also be a gathering of pioneer, young and potential members of the feminist community who will be sharing their experiences of  involvement in the women’s movement against VAW-GBV in the Philippines and will draw up ideas, insights, dilemmas, and reflections about “historical moments” they can learn from.

Aside from feminists, government people, development workers and community leaders are expected to attend. 

Pagaduan, a professor at the UP-CSWCD, was a champion of women’s empowerment and community development. She was executive director and board chairperson of the Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau, which has been at the forefront in the fight to end sexual violence against women and girls. 

She actively worked toward empowering various communities of indigenous women, women survivors of Typhoon “Yolanda” and urban poor women. 

The public forum was inspired by her commitment and passion in the fight against gender-based violence in the country.