The Mindanao Commission on Women and the Mothers for Peace Movement strongly urge the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to act on a concern made by the UN Security Council over women’s continued “under-representation in formal peace processes.”

The UN Security Council stated this concern in Resolution No. 1888 which demands as well that parties to armed conflict must take measures to protect women and children from all forms of sexual violence. The resolution, adopted on September 30 and sponsored by 61 countries, also noted the “lack of women becoming Chief or Lead peace mediators in United Nations-sponsored peace talks.” US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton chaired the session.

“Until now, many governments including the Philippines still refuse to heed the UN’s call to include women in all structures that make decisions to sustain peace or end conflict,” said Irene Santiago, chair and chief executive officer of MCW.

In 2000, the UN Security Council also adopted the landmark Resolution 1325 unanimously calling on all member states to increase the participation of women in decision-making and peace processes and to institute gender perspectives and training from peace negotiations to peacekeeping initiatives.

“But since then, it remains a rhetoric in the Philippines where women are still being systematically excluded from political participation and representation in the peace negotiations,” she said.

She cited as example the “glaring absence” of women members in both the negotiating panels of the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Santiago was a former member of the Philippine Government peace negotiating panel for talks with the MILF from 2001 to 2003. She also once served as Chief of the Asia/Pacific Section of UNIFEM based in New York City.

“Unless women will be involved in drafting and negotiating any peace agreement, such peace will not be comprehensive and sustainable,” she added.

In February 2006, the MCW presented a position paper entitled “If Women Negotiated the GRP-MILF  Peace Agreement” to the GRP and MILF peace panels, lobbying for a venue where women in conflict-affected areas can articulate their stand on what the peace agreement should contain.

“Women are victims of the armed conflict.  However, they have the capacity and the will to become major actors for peace in the various levels in which they are located,” the MCW said in the same position paper.

Ressources

UN: Security Council Resolution 1888 mandates peacekeeping missions to protect women, girls from sexual violence in armed conflict. (September 2009)

UN: Security Council Resolution 1325 on women and peace and security (October 2000)