Breaking Women’s Silence

ASIAN YOUNG WOMEN LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Monica May Ramos

“Law is, among other things, a language, a form of discourse,' and a system through
which meanings are reflected and constructed and cultural practices organized. Law
is a language of power, a particularly authoritative discourse. -Lucinda Finley

Asian Young Women Leadership Training holds a legacy, and over the years,
it continues to grow and build upon the organization’s progress and strategies. It is
commissioned in empowering Asian young women to do missions concerning
education, community development, church mission and social justice. It is driven
by an unwavering commitment to create programs which provides training for
selected young women in Asia to become agent of change in their community.
Programs which caters the social community concern affecting the lives of those
oppressed and underprivileged.

What I like about this training is that it has aroused me to love the study of
law, inter alia, the law on violence against women and children, human trafficking,
child labor and so on. Law is not limited in giving knowledge; it gives power because
it is power. And we, women are not only called to be empowered. Remember, Tita
Emma Cantor once said, “we are the soul of the earth, creating peace and making
our world beautiful by giving our commitment for social justice.”

As a challenge, we are called to break our silence in law so that a lot of things
could be done like economic opportunities, equality in political representation and
advocacies to fight aggression and violence brought by the shadow of patriarchy that
persists up to the present.

(Part 1 ---- To be continued …)

A bonus reward I got from this training is the chance to stay connected with
my fellow Asian delegate. Last July 28, 2019, I got the chance to meet Kumiko Ita,
a Japanese representative in AYWLT in 2010-11. It was 9 years ago when Kumiko
and I became representatives from our respective countries. So glad that I did not
only gain inspiration and learnings from the training, more importantly, a
relationship rooted in friendship.
Basta Deaconess! Pang-International ang Beauty.