schoolscolleges2020 hed news


RESEARCHERS UNITE. More than 20 researchers from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Timor Leste attended the 1st regional assembly of the South East Asia Researchers’ Network on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SEARN-SRHR) in Thailand. Contributed photo. 

BANGKOK, Thailand — The South East Asia Researchers’ Network on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SEARN-SRHR) gathered various researchers across Southeast Asia for the organization's first regional assembly, including delegates from Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan.

More than 20 researchers from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Timor Leste were invited to the three-day event, held0 from October 1 to 3. 

Among the Filipino delegates were Xavier Ateneo’s Psychology faculty members Dr Joey Marie Jegonia (also the university’s director of testing), Jason Manaois, and Paolo Jegonia.

The group had a formal institutional visit at Mahidol University, particularly at the Center for Health Policy Studies. Mahidol University is an autonomous research institution in Thailand, ranked as the country's top one university in 2011 up to the present by QS Asian University Rankings. 

The researchers also gathered at South East Asia Junction of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre for research presentations. The following were the presenters: Jason Manaois (former Psychology department chairperson of Xavier Ateneo), Theresia Arum (researcher from the AIDS Research Center of the Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia), and Dev Fernandez (faculty of SMUK Santa Madalena de Canossa Comoro in Timor Leste). 

Other activities included sharing of institutional best practices and the strategic meeting to plan the sustainability of the project.

The SEARN-SRHR aims to support (the creation of) local and regional networks of researchers (academe and non-academe backgrounds) who have produced studies or are working on the areas of SRHR, sexuality-related issues, LGBT, HIV-AIDS, and related topics. 

The project also targets to address the existing knowledge gaps on SRHR and related issues, as well as provide more venues to access researches and other knowledge products to influence policies and create programs. 

Moreover, the SEARN initiative aims to promote access to researches and exchange in information through a website (e-library) where researchers can upload and access data and information materials related to SRHR.

Funded by the Hivos South East Asia Hub (SEA Hub) through the Innovation Fund from the Royal Netherlands Government, the said one-year project brings together and develops local and regional-level networks of researchers on SRHR (including LGBT, human rights, HIV, and key populations) in South East Asia.∎


RESEARCHERS UNITE. More than 20 researchers from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Timor Leste attended the 1st regional assembly of the South East Asia Researchers’ Network on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SEARN-SRHR) in Thailand. Contributed photo.