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Women and Justice in BARMM (1st of 2 parts) | Amina Rasul | She Talks Peace
Mindanaotoday.com | Women and Justice in BARMM
(1st of 2 parts)
Amina Rasul | She Talks Peace
LAST week, The United Nations (UN) commended Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. for his role in advancing the Bangsamoro peace process as Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity.
UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Gustavo González cited Galvez’s “commitment and professionalism in peacebuilding efforts.”
I couldn’t agree more. Sec Galvez’ support for the peace process has been instrumental in strengthening the foundation for peace in Muslim Mindanao.
The peace process between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was no walk in the park.
The peace talks started under then President Fidel V. Ramos, lasting almost two decades with many ups and downs, many armed clashes caused by perceived violations of terms of the peace talks.
Finally, an agreement was signed under the late President Benigno Simeon Aquino III and a law was passed under President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
This law, the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), was the foundation for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Regional Government, which came into being after a plebiscite in Muslim Mindanao.
The 2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite ratified BOL and replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The plebiscite also determined the provinces and communities that would become part of BARMM.
The creation of the BARMM introduced a new system of government – a parliamentary system – in the country.
The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) is the transition parliament mandated to pass the laws needed to enable parliamentary system to function.
This is a unique experiment in governance as the nation is under a unitary system but the BARMM region will be parliamentary.
Much work is required to ensure smooth governance.
You may be interested to know that Bangsamoro and Muslim women lobbied hard for the passage of the law, demanding that their rights be respected, that women be supported to be part of decision making.
I remember well the interesting meetings that we had with then MILF Panel Chair Mohagher Iqbal. (Thanks Chair IQ, for your support!)
Lobbying by civil society had positive results: women, youth, and indigenous communities each have reserved seats in Parliament, and at least one woman must be appointed to the Cabinet.
The law ensures an allocation of at least five per cent of the budget for programs on gender and development.
It calls for addressing the rights of women, and for women’s needs to be considered in rehabilitation and development programs for internally-displaced people.
However, in BARMM, women’s participation and promotion still need to be ensured.
During the pandemic, there was a rise in women’s radicalization and gender-based violence due to conflicts including “rido” or clan feuds.
Women’s access to justice and opportunities remains weak. And yet the women, peace, and security (WPS) agenda is crucial not just to BARMM but all conflict-affected communities. (To be continued) (MindaNews)
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