Women in the Philippines raise their voices in the new BARMM to recognize women’s contribution to nation-building

[Press Release]
[For immediate release]

Bangsamoro, Philippines — Over 100 women from various communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) gathered today in Davao City to call for women’s meaningful participation in the newly established political entity.

The Inaugural Bangsamoro Women’s Summit, led by UN Women in collaboration with the governments of Norway, Australia and Canada, brings together women from the communities in the Bangsamoro and members of local and regional government to discuss women’s priorities and aspirations for the new BARMM.

The Summit produced a women’s agenda, which calls for commitment to gender-responsive governance and spaces for women’s participation in the new Bangsamoro. This includes highlighting women’s participation in policy, plan and programme formulation of the BARMM; creation of mechanisms for women’s participation; and development and implementation of regional laws, policies, programmes, services and budgets that address Bangsamoro women’s issues and needs.

In 2015, UN Women began by training grassroots women from the five provinces in leadership and advocacy. These women became advocates for equality and peace and developed as leaders in their communities. In 2017, these same women leaders gathered signatures from community members calling for the establishment of a transitional justice mechanism to respond to the historical injustices, human rights violations and marginalization of the Bangsamoro. The women then formed a Speakers’ Bureau to generate support for the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in Moro diaspora communities. This year, UN Women supported women’s livelihoods in select communities in Basilan and Maguindanao to prevent recruitment in violent armed groups as well as radicalization.