UN Women amplifies Bangsamoro women’s voice

• Source: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1661476935709/un-women-amplifies-bangsamoro-women-s-voice
• Monday, October 24, 2016

(PBChangco/PIA)

COTABATO CITY, Oct. 24 (PIA)—Some 60 Bangsamoro women leaders representing various areas in the Autonomous Region in Muslim in Mindanao (ARMM) will converge in Cotabato City on October 28 for the presentation of women’s agenda.

Under the auspices of UN Women, the women-participants have undergone various activities strengthening their leadership capacities and generated the formulation of agenda and actions along the areas of popularizing the Bangsamoro history, empowerment, gender and development and ending violence against women.

In support of the peace process, in 2015 UN Women conducted a mapping of women leaders and civil society organizations (CSOs) in ARMM’s five provinces, 39 barangays in North Cotabato and six towns of Lanao del Norte that yielded a snapshot of their perspectives and existing trainings along the areas of gender, peace and governance.

Mapping of women leaders and women’s groups, capacity development and support to advocacy activities are key activities of UN Women as its contribution in ensuring women’s leadership and participation in the Bangsamoro.

According to the UN Women report, the results of the mapping were utilized to develop trainings that would enable greater participation for gender equality in their various contexts as Moros and indigenous women, understanding of the Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination, quest for just and lasting peace as well as the crafting and advocating area-based women’s agenda.

Showcasing its work on mainstreaming of women, peace and security in the Philippines, UN Women is launching several publications among them the Training Kit on Women, Peace and Security Mainstreaming drafted and produced in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) that aims to enhance capacities of national and local governments in appreciating gender issues in the context of conflict and likewise formulate, implement and monitor programs, projects and services. The other publications include Mapping Report of Select Women Leaders and Civil Society Organizations in the Bangsamoro, Training Kit on Strengthening Women’s Leadership and Participation in the Bangsamoro which is a compilation of modules and sessions on series of trainings, and the Bangsamoro Leadership Journeys which provides a glimpse of the realities that Bangsamoro women face in their day-to-day lives and became the bases for crafting their respective agenda points and action plans.

Adviser for Governance, Peace and Security of UN Women Regional Office Asia and the Pacific Hanny Cueva Beteta will share the organization’s work on women, peace and security in the Philippines during the October 28 event.

A former Peace Manager of the women, peace and security section in UN Women Headquarters, Beteta has over 10 years of research experience working on poverty and development issues and one of the main technical leading experts on the interagency work for development of indicators on women, peace and security to use at the global levels as requested by Security Council Resolution 1889.

Through this initiative, UN Women expects strong commitment and support from the ARMM Regional Government, international development organizations and CSOs in partnering in the pursuit of women meaningful participation in the Bangsamoro.