Earlier this year, National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Prisons Division Chief Ronald Taylor and National Programs Advisor Evelyn Bush met with a Philippine delegation participating in the U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program. NIC’s presentation and discussion covered evidence-based policies and best practices for working with women in confinement, reentry planning, and creating a gender-responsive culture for the Philippine correctional system.
The International Visitor Leadership Program is the State Department’s professional exchange program that invites foreign leaders to the United States to experience America firsthand, learn new professional skills, and create lasting relationships with American counterparts. In conjunction with their program participation, the Philippine delegation pursued a project titled Justice in Design: Building a Better Criminal Justice System, A Project for the Philippines. The project has the following objectives:
- Examine successful reentry programs for women in custody
- Observe best practices for providing maternal and postpartum care for incarcerated women
- Explore human rights advocacy efforts in the United States that address women-specific prison reform efforts
- Review programs that promote social rehabilitation and improve conditions for imprisoned women
- Investigate best practices for prison reform through law and policy changes that protect the health and safety of incarcerated women
The group also traveled to Kansas City, MO; Boston, MA; Sacramento, CA; and San Francisco, CA to meet with local courts, government officials, law enforcement, and non-governmental organizations working to improve conditions for incarcerated women and support their successful reentry into society.
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Delegation
Rommel Alim Abitria
Executive Director, Humanitarian Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc. (HLAF)
Kristy Jane Balino
Deputy Director for Legal Affairs, Arellano University
Capt. Kate Galendez Beltran
Budget Officer, Budget Officer, Philippine Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Region 6
Cryzal Lyn Bernardo Guese-Rosales
Clerk of Court V, Supreme Court of the Philippines
Reuel Angelo Pural Realin
Program Officer, The Asia Foundation
Accompanied By
Nawzad Muradi
International Visitor Liaison
