DR. PERSIDA V. RUEDA-ACOSTA, DSD., Chief Public Attorney of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), Philippines (since February 23, 2001), 4th Placer, 1989 Philippine Bar Examinations, is a Doctor of Social Development graduate (GWA 1.20) from the University of the Philippines. Dr.  Acosta completed the Senior Executive Fellows Program, and Senior Executive Program on National and International Security at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), U.S.A. She also acquired Professional Certificates in Public Financial Management (HKS), and International Management and Leadership (International Centre for Parliamentary Studies, London), and Salzburg Global Seminar Fellowships (2023 and 2009). Her expertise in legal aid has been recognized by international institutions, inter alia, UNICEF; UNODC; UNDP; USAID; IIJ-Malta, LAF-Taiwan; Nippon Foundation; Japan Legal Support Center; Legal Aid South Africa; China University of Political Science and Law; Legal Aid ACT (Australia); and School of Law, Bennett University (India) through their invitations to her as expert/resource person, and partner in advocacies. 

 

Dr. Acosta, an active member of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA), served as Speaker during its Annual General Meetings and Conferences in Thailand (2007); Czech Republic (2008); Singapore (2011); Mexico City (2012); Melbourne, Australia (2015); Argentina (2019), and Singapore (2024); also in its 1st Corrections Technology Conference (Adelaide, Australia, 2023). As a passionate prison reforms advocate, she was granted a 2013 scholarship entitled  as New Approaches to Prison Management and Rehabilitation in Israel. Such passion is reflected in her Dissertation, “Examining Deaths Behind Bars: Towards Penal System Policy Reforms in the Context of Human Rights” (June 2015).

Driven mid-career leader in public service, with an experience acquired in more than 20 years of continuous work in this field (at both middle, and top level management - deputy general director, general director ad-interim, director of the Social Reintegration Department, head of the Psycho-social Assistance Service): i.) Prison management and administration, knowing the system from the inside; ii.) Treatment of inmates, and rehabilitation; iii.) The academic perspective, holding a PhD in Psychology.

Her academic background includes also a recent Fulbright exchange for mid-career leaders in public service in USA (University of Minnesota/ 2022-2023), and two master degrees in Law, and Sociology, complementary to her bachelor degree in Psychology.

Her studies enabled her to acquire an in-depth understanding of the prison population, and a comprehensive knowledge on the main problems and current debates relating to detention and criminal justice systems, both in the professional and academic realms.  In the same context, as Associate Professor at Bucharest University (2018-present), as Regional Representative for Eastern Europe in the Steering Committee of the “European Prison Education Association” (2012-2019), and EuroPris Board Member (2022-2025), Dr.  Morar promoted the importance of good practices that should migrate at European/International level, for the reform of prisons, in terms of evolution of the prison management and of the treatment provided for persons deprived of liberty (e.g. health care, psychological assistance, mental health care), in line with international standards.
Focused on streamlining the correction process, enhancing correctional policies with civic-oriented actions that can bring a wider positive and sustainable impact on society, Dr. Ioana MORAR has always been driven by the motivation to make a significant difference and to bring added value in her line of work, according to international standards, and fostering humanitarian approaches. She strongly believes that the basis of an effective prison system is dependent on progressive approaches and efforts towards the assistance and rehabilitation of the detainees, in compliance with international standards.