We, members of the Mindanao Commission on Women and the Mothers for Peace Movement in Mindanao, share the nation’s grief over the tragedy brought about by Tropical Storm “Ondoy” that wrought such havoc on the lives of thousands of our people. We feel the pain of mothers who have lost husbands, children and other family members in the devastation. (more…)
Mothers for Peace General Santos City held a conference on pro-women laws and bills on July 11-12, 2009. Led by City Councilor Lourdes Casabuena and Bebe-i Gonzales, members of the MCW Area Core Group, the activity helped strengthen their peace work through knowledge of existing legislation on women.
Read more in » Sunstar.
Ten “Jewels of Light” were given awards as “Exemplary Mothers” at the 42nd anniversary celebration of Davao del Norte province in southern Mindanao. The search for the “women of spirit, substance and style” from Davao del Norte’s eight municipalities and three cities was organized by the Provincial Council of Women and Mothers for Peace in cooperation with the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center of Davao City.
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As MCW continues to decentralize decision-making through the formation of Area Core Groups (ACGs) all over Mindanao, Davao-based MCW staff have gone to the field to discuss plans and see how systems are working. There are now 18 ACGs, all composed of women leaders from various sectors and organizations. At least one ACG member is a young woman. Irene M. Santiago, MCW Chair and CEO, describes this as developing an “agile” organization, one that is able to address local concerns as well as Mindanao-wide and national issues.
The UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines named MCW as the sole Philippine nominee for the UNESCO Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize, named after the first President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire who was an outstanding peacebuilder. The UNESCO Philippines Chair, Ms. Felice Sta. Maria, in informing Ms Irene M. Santiago of the honor, wrote: “We are very pleased to be backing an NGO that pioneers the once undervalued or overlooked women’s perspective in peace and development in Mindanao.” The final selection is made in Paris by a jury headed by Henry Kissinger. In 1997, the prize was awarded to President Fidel V. Ramos and MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari. Nelson Mandela was the first recipient of the peace prize. Read more about the UNESCO Peace Prize.
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