Ms. Avellano is an alternative lawyer who represents children in the legal system in the Philippines. She works with a multi-disciplinary team in case management and after-care programs for these children. She serves as lecturer on laws pertaining to women and children, gender sensitivity, and access to justice. She co-founded the WomenLEAD Foundation, a women’s NGO that provides feminist legal services to victims of gender-based violence. She holds bachelors degrees in law and mass communications as well as a diploma in Children, Youth, and Development. She has worked in the field of women’s and children’s rights protection for more than a decade. During her fellowship year, Ms. Avellano will develop a manual on conducting forensic video interviews of trafficked victims to preserve their testimony and to facilitate better prosecution of trafficking cases.