Women in P eacebuilding and Peacekeeping - the Philippine Experience

1. Women in Peacebuildingand Peacekeeping - the Philippine Experience Karen N. Tañada 1st Regional Congress in Women Political Participation October 25-27, 2011 Miriam College

2. The Context : • Two major ideology based • armed conflicts in • the country • lasting 4 decades Communist insurgency Communist Party of the Philippines/New PeoplesArmy/ National Democratic Front Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination Moro Islamic Liberation Front

3. 5 Root Causes of Insurgency:NUC Consultations 1992-93 Exploitation and marginalization of indigenous cultural communities • Massive and abject poverty and economic inequity • Structural inequities in our political system • Control by elite minority • Traditional politicians and dynasties • Private armies Poor governance • Absenteeism of elected officials • Corruption and Inefficiency of government • Lack of social services • Poor implementation of laws Social Injustices • Abuses of those in authority and power • Human rights violations • Inequity, corruption and delays in administration of justice • (Asuncion, OPAPP - 2009)

4. ARMM + Barangay w/majority Muslim Census 2000 LANAO NORTE ZAMBO NORTE BUKIDNON LANAO SUR ZAMBO SUR N. COTABATO Cotabato City DAVAO OR. MAGUINDANAO DAVAO SUR S. KUDARAT BASILAN S. COTABATO SARANGANI

5. Understanding Roles of Women in • Armed Conflict • as direct victims of conflict • as support system for combatants • as combatants • as indirect victims • (TeresitaQuintos Deles, Women War and Peacemakingin the Philippines,1993

6. Experiences of women as direct victims of armed conflict include: • Death or injury in crossfires • Displacement, evacuation • Arrests • Disappearances • Salvaging or frustrate salvaging • Destruction of homes and other property • Theft of property • Destruction of environment • Food blockades • Rape and other sexual violence

8. Women as support system for combatants • Military related prostitution • Forced or cheap labor for camps • Military/revolutionary wives (Quintos-Deles, 1993) Innabuyog, a regional alliance of indigenous women in the Cordillera has documented 98 cases of abandoned women and 119 cases of abandoned children of soldiers stationed in the Cordillera in a span of ten years. (Yocogan-Diano, 2004)

9. Women as combatants • Hardly studied, especially women in non-state armed groups • Women were accepted into Philippine Military Academy in 1994 by 2006 - 114 female graduates

10. Women as indirect victims of armed conflict • Size of military budget in relation to that for health, social services • Creation of a culture of violence, including proliferation of small arms • Dominance of military men in government and politics (Quintos-Deles, 1993)

11. Militarizing politics • During the Ramos administration, 52 military officers were appointed to strategic agencies • 34 military men were appointed during the first 22 months of Macapagal-Arroyo’s first term. They occupied cabinet, executive office, and ambassadorial posts. Many held key positions in the transportation and communications department and related agencies, in public corporations, and special economic zones. • From 1987 to 2001, fifty-two former military officers ran for various elective posts; twenty won their posts (Glenda Gloria,”We Were Soldiers”, 2003)

12. 1. Women’s peacebuilding at community levels • finding ways to alleviate economic hardships, • resisting and neutralizing the effects of militarization; • mediating between the community and armed groups, and • organizing (NCRFW NGO Study Group on Peace, 1993) Women strive especially for the protection and survival of their family and community. But they are more often the informal leaders and provide the support system.

13. 2. Women at provincial and regional levels • Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government (CCAGG) • PaghiliusasaPaghidaet Negros • Cordillera Peoples’ Forum • Mindanao Peoples’ Caucus • These organizations and networks have done multiple forms of peacebuilding : relief and rehabilitation, peace education and dialogue, governance and monitoring, policy advocacy, etc.

14. Federation of United MindanawanBangsamoro Women- Multi- Purpose Cooperative 137 cooperatives Projects include: windmill water pumps, botikasabaranggay (community apothecary), herbal beauty soap production, skills training and enterprise development for out of school children and youth, GAD and governance/ women in politics, and Bangsamoro Successor Generation training

15. Mindanao Peoples Caucus - All Women Contingent on Civilian Protection Component • (under the International Monitoring Team for GPH –MILF ceasefire)

16. Some women-led NGOs and national initiatives • Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, • PhilRights • Amnesty International-Pilipinas • Karapatan • Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court • Peace Education Network • SulongCARHRIHL

18. Trauma healing NGOs/Programs • Balay Rehabilitation Center including testimonial therapy • UP Pyscho-Social Trauma Program • BalikKalipay – TOWNS • DamhinKapwa

19. Highlighting gender issues • Al Mujadillah Development Foundation and NisaUlHaqqFiBangsamoro– gender engaging Islam • East Asia Puerto Rico Women’s Network against Militarism ( particularly US Bases and military presence) • Comfort women’s struggle for memory and justice • Lumad Women Peace Summit (Indigenous peoples)

20. Women in White - 40 Days Campaign for Ceasefire in 2000

22. Women in the Peace Negotiations GPH Peace Panel with NDF Maria Serena Diokno (Chair) - 1986-7 ZenaidaBrigidaPawid - 1992-98 RisaHontiveros-Baraquel- 1998-2000, 2001-2004 Nieves Confesor (Chair) 2004-2010 Annabelle Abaya 2004-2009 PaulynnSicam 2004-2009 Margarita Songco 2009-2010 Current JurgetteHonculada 2011 - Lourdes Tison 2011 -

23. Women in the Peace Negotiations • GPH Panel with the MILF • Emily Marohomsar • Emily Marohomsar and Irene Santiago • Irene Santiago and Sylvia Paraguya • Sylvia Paraguya and Leah Armamento • Grace Rebollos

24. Heads of Secretariats: LorenzaDalupan - Peace Commission, OPAPP Alma Evangelista OPAPP Carla Villarta – Panel with NDF DiositaAndot – Panel with MILF Eileen Jose – Panel with RPMP, RPM Presidential Advisers on Peace Process TeresitaQuintos Deles 2003-2005 , 2010 – Annabelle Abaya 2009-2010

25. Secretary Deles with members of the Phil delegation – Tripartite review of the GPH-MNLF Final Peace Agreement

26. Some Challenges • Clash with machos – generals in government • Reconciling human rights principles and propriety, constitutionality • Negotiating within government (on Social and Economic Reform positions, even CARHRIHL, terrorism issue) • Negotiating with other side and their biases/ hardlines positions • Lack of preparation on process of negotiating • And on immediate topic (eg. Terrorism) • Not easy/ no opportunity to put in language on women

27. Some Key Lessons: • Still a challenge: putting gender in peace agreements • Need to clarifying our indicators on Gender responsive peace agreement • The more detailed the draft or implementation, easier to put in gender • Need to focus on putting women into track 1

28. Understand better the context of the peace negotiations, good, bad, who the men and women were • Need to deepen understanding of the peace processes • Understanding the sectors you have to deal with - • eg. Security sector - which historically has gone thru different phases • The international community, the diplomatic protocols, other sectors we have to deal with in track 1 • e.g Senate and House of Representatives

29. Philippine NAP 1325 - The first NAP in Asia, 18th in the world. 6 local consultations 1 national consultation Participants include: IP and Moro women, women of different sectors, government representatives, police and military

30. Basic elements that shaped the Phil NAP 1325: • 1. ARMED CONFLICT CONTEXT in the Philippines, • the need to PROTECT WOMEN, • and PREVENT/TRANSFORM CONFLICT • a. Armed conflict analysis • b. Gender analysis of armed conflict:

31. Basic Elements for the Phil NAP 1325 • BUILDING ON THE WORK OF • WOMENPEACEMAKERS • Recognize and respect the work that women are already doing for peace, and build on these. • (Especially work of women at the grassroots in armed conflict areas.)

32. Basic elements of the NAP 3. ROLES OF GOVERNMENT and CSOs For a National Plan, government has primary responsibility. Civil Society Organizations have complementary roles, being autonomous. • The actions points of the NAP are best done by both Government and CSOs in cooperation.

33. Executive Order creating National Steering Committee to Implement the Phil NAP 1325 signed by President Gloria Arroyo - March 2010 National elections -May 2010 President Benigno Aquino III - appointed TeresitaQuintos Deles as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process - July 2010 After meetings and discussions between Sec. Deles and CSOs, a slightly revised NAP is agreed upon in March 2011

34. Some lessons from this experience: • Government has the primary role • NAP has to be doable for Government (with CSO support) • Magna Carta of Women (enacted in 2009) incorporates UNSCR 1325 • Leadership in government is important.

35. National Steering Committee of NAP 1325 : Chair: Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Vice - Chair : Chair of the Phil. Commission on Women Members: • Secretaries of Department of Justice • Department of National Defense • Department of Foreign Affairs • Department of Interior and Local Government • Department of Social Welfare and Development • Chairs of NationalCommission for Muslim Filipinos and • National Commission for Indigenous peoples

36. Lessons: • CSO advocacy is important • WE Act 1325 (Women Engaging in Action on 1325) • Sulong CARHRIHL** Center for Peace Education** PILIPINA** GZO Peace Institute** Al Mujadillah Development Foundation** Mindanao Commission on Women** Initiatives for International Dialogue** Women and Gender Institute** Saligan Mindanao** NisaUlHaqqFiBangsamoro ** Pinay Kilos** Isis International** AKKAPKA** TedurayLambangian Women’s Organization

37. Challenges in implementation: • Many other important tasks of OPAPP • (peace negotiations, implementation of agreements, peace and development) • Strategy: mainstream, integrate NAP actions into peace programs • Lack of resources • Strategy: access 5% Gender and Development budget

38. 1000 PeaceWomen for the Nobel Peace Prize 2005

39. Some lessons: • Role of women in peacebuilding is a reflection of their roles in decision-making and politics , e.g - community level,women in peace negotiations • 2. Important role of women in convening and sustaining organizations over time, especially coalitions • 3. Particular contribution of women in addressing women and children’s issues - Prostitution, VAW esp sexual violence, health and reproductive rights • 4. Important role of women in trauma healing and reconciliation, but need for caring for the carers

40. Some strengths of women’s work for peace: • Connected to the concern for life • Addresses basic needs • Crosses divides – often transpolitical and • transnational, reaching out to women on • opposite side • Based on organizing and networking • Uses a variety of non-violent techniques, activities, strategies • Explores alternative concepts of peace and security

41. Some recommendations: • Ensure integration and mainstreaming of gender and peace, development and governance National Action Plan 1325 and Magna Carta of Women, Philippine Development Plan , National Human Rights Action Plan • Go local. VAWC (Violence Against Women and Children desks ) BHRAC ( Baranggay Human Rights Action Centers) BCPC (Bgy Children Protection Council) Women in POCs (Peace and Order Councils Local GAD budgets

42. On launching of MPC All Women Contingent “I have always been optimistic that gradually and one day, we would live to see ourselves go beyond the rhetoric and witness women really move to the front and center of the peace process. Today is one such day, yet still, I am caught up in amazement of it all.” Secretary GingQuintos-Deles

43. All out peace ! Maramingsalamat.