of 41
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
1/41
Women, Peace-building and
the Mindanao Conflict
Nassreena Sampaco-Baddiri
The views expressed in this paper are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or
the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. Thecountries listed in this paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
2/41
Mindanao Conflict
Economic Costs of the Conflict: USD 3 Billion (WB, 2001)
Lives lost: 160,000
Internally Displaced People: 2.5 Million ++
Immense Human and Social Costs
Quality of life: the worst in the Philippines (UNDP, 2009)
Hunger (31%) is more extensive than the national average
(18%) (SWS, 2012)
Lowest in the Human Development Index (2003)
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
3/41
Outline
I. Institutional Context of the Mindanao Conflict
i. Political
ii. Economic
iii. SocialII. Realities of Moro Women
i. Population and Poverty
ii. Armed Conflict and Displacement
iii. Health and EducationIII. Moro women and Peace-building in Mindanao
IV. Policy Recommendations
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
4/41
Mindanao Conflict
Clash between two imagined nations ornationalisms, Filipino and Moro, each with theirown narratives of the conflict Santos, Soliman. 2005. Evolution of the
Armed Conflict on the Moro Front.
Philippine Human Development Report
six key elements:(1) Economic marginalization and destitution;
(2) Political domination and inferiorization
(3) Physical insecurity;
(4) Threatened Moro and Islamic identity;
(5) Perception that government is the principal party to blame; and
(6) Perception of hopelessness under the present set-up.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
5/41
Mindanao Conflict
War damages infrastructure, institutions and production,
destroys assets, breaks up communities and networks
and kills and injures people (Collier, 2007)
Decades-long conflict primary barrier to social
development in Mindanao
Conflict affected provincesmostly found in the
Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are the
poorest in the Philippines
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
6/41
Institutional Context: PoliticsThe evolution of political institutions in Mindanao
Datu/ SultanateSystem
Pre-Colonial
Governance
Spanish ColonialEra
AmericanColonialGovernment
ColonialGovernance
Post-independence
PhilippineRepublic
Post-colonial
1920s: Muslim leaders asserted their
right to a nation state
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
7/41
Institutional Context: Politics Unilateral Implementation of the 1976
Tripoli Agreement
Lupon ng Tagapagpaganap ng Pook
(Regions 9 and 12)
Marcos:
1987 Jeddah Accord
Regional Consultative Commission
RA 6734 Organic Act of the ARMM
C. Aquino:ARMM
1996 Final Peace AgreementRamos:
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
8/41
Institutional Context: EconomicsFlourishing political economy of Muslim Sultanates in
Mindanao prior to colonial rule subverted during the colonial
era
Exploitation of resources in the region became the
cornerstone of colonial projects
Muslim communities were deprived of vital resources such as
their ancestral land
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
9/41
Institutional Context: Economics
Two factors that defined in the political economy of
Mindanao in the colonial and post-independence
period:Settlement into Mindanao (Both formal and informal)
Indigenous Ancestral Land
Agri-Industry Corporate Interests
Competition for resources
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
10/41
Institutional Context: EconomicsDemographic patterns illustrate the rapid migration into
Mindanao and increased minoritization of the Bangsamoro.
Essentially, lands inhabited by settlers were part of the
indigenous ancestral domain that were communal in the pre-
colonial era
The establishment of corporate plantations resulted to
competition of resources between migrants and locals, whichfueled violence and engendered lawlessness in many parts of
Mindanao.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
11/41
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
12/41
Institutional Context: Society
1997: FilipinasFoundation
scientific survey ofMuslim-Christianrelations: thereexists a high
cross-sectionallevel of Christianbias against allMuslims in all
aspects ofinterpersonal
relations
In a 2004 SWSsurvey: 41% of
respondents hadan unfavorable
view of Muslims inthe Philippines.
81% view Islam asa religion that is
very different fromChristianity
In 2005:
Philippine HumanDevelopment, 55%
of respondentsbelieve that
Muslims are proneto run amok; 44%believe Muslimsprobably secretly
hated all non-Muslims; and only14% could cite a
personalexperience with a
Muslim.
In a 2010 SWSSurvey: Filipinoshave a very lowfamiliarity withIslam with 76%
saying they haveinsufficient, little
or no knowledgeof Islam.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
13/41
Institutional Context: Society
Bifurcated narrative: Muslim minority and Christian
majority
Ferocious opposition to the MOA-AD in 2008 is a recent
example of the huge rift between the minority Muslims in
the Philippines and the majority Christians in the country
(Baddiri, 2009)
Informal ties based on trust (or the lack of it) define the
relationship of the majority and the minority
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
14/41
Institutional Analysis of the ARMM
MarcosAdministration
RegionalCommissions 9
and 12
1976 TripoliAgreement
LTP AutonomousRegions 9 and
12
Cory AquinoAdministration
1987 JeddahAccord
1987Constitution
RegionalConsultativeCommission
1989 Organic Act
RA 6734
RamosAdministration
1996 FinalPeace
Agreement
Chair NurMisuari asRegional
Governor ofARMM
Arroyo
AdministrationRA 9054
Plebiscite
MOA-AD
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
15/41
Realities of Moro Women
Population and Poverty
Armed Conflict andDisplacement
Health and Education
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
16/41
MDG Rate of Progress: Poverty and Hunger in the ARMM
Baseline(1990)
CurrentLevel(2005/06)
Target by2015
Ave. rateofProgress
Requiredrate
Ratio ofRequiredRate toAve. rate
ProbabilityofAttainingTarget
Prop of pop.
Below
subsistence
30.50
(1991)
23.60
(2003)
15.23
(2015)
-.058 1.21 -0.70 High
Prop of pop.
Below
poverty
thres
56.00
(1991)
52.80
(2003)
28.00
(2015)
-0.27 7.75 -2.07 Low
Prop of
Families
belowpoverty
threshold
50.70
(1991)
45.40
(2003)
25.35
(2015)
-0.44 3.78 -1.67 Low
Source: United Nations Development Programme, Philippines 2010
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
17/41
Poverty Incidence 2006 showed poverty in
the Autonomous Regionin Muslim Mindanao(ARMM) reached 55.3
percent (NSCB)
The incidence ofpoverty in the ARMM is
more than two times thenational average of26.9 percent.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
18/41
Basilan: rapid increase in populationgrowth rates between from 2000 and 2007.
Sulu has an annual population growth rate
of 4.45 percentTawi-Tawi registered a 4.7 percentaverage annual population growth rate in aspan of seven years
Higher population growth rate,
high incidence of hunger, greaterstress on Women
(Nisa Ul-Haq Fi Bangsamoro)
Moro women:Population and Poverty
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
19/41
Human Development Index
National Rank Province HDI
Philippines 0.72
Metro Manila 0.78
13 Misamis Oriental 0.65
17 South Cotabato 0.64
18 Davao del Sur 0.63
27 Camiguin 0.58
35 Zamboanga del Sur 0.56
36 Lanao del Norte 0.56
68 Lanao del Sur 0.48
74 Basilan 0.41
75 Tawi-tawi 0.36
76 Maguindanao 0.36
77 Sulu 0.30
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
20/41
Life ExpectancyHDI-1
Rank 2003Province
Female Male Female Male
Metro Manila 72.9 67.0 75.3 76.2
17 South Cotabato 70.5 66.0 55.5 48.818 Davao del Sur 72.7 69.5 51.6 47.1
20 Cebu 74.1 71.2 47.1 45.8
68 Lanao del Sur 59.6 56.1 47.1 44.5
74 Basilan 64.3 56.9 29.9 33.3
75 Tawi-Tawi 53.6 48.7 37.8 43.9
76 Maguindanao 52.8 51.2 28.6 29.2
77 Sulu 55.6 49.9 20.5 21.6
Philippines 72.4 67.2 53.52 50.59
Life expectancy at
birth (years) 2003
% HS Graduate (18 and
above) 2003
Source: Human Development Network, 2005
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
21/41
Moro Women:
Reproductive HealthDue to cultural, religious and logistical reasons, women inthe ARMM generally have less access to modern familyplanning methods.
Women experience frequent pregnancies and closelyspaced births.
There is poor access to health facilities and health
workers need support to detect and manage high-riskpregnancies.
(Nisa Ul-Haq Fi Bangsamoro)
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
22/41
Internally Displaced Persons
Estimated 2.5 million displaced by conflict in Mindanao
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
23/41
Lived Realities of Moro women:
Armed conflict, and volatile peace and order situation
Internal displacementas a result of ArmedClashes
Most IDPs in the ARMMare Muslim women andchildren
The women in thefamily bears the burden
(Nisa Ul haqq Fi Bangsamoro)
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
24/41
Internal Displacement
and Gender
The absence of reproductive health services for women and
men increases the number of pregnant women and newborn
babies in evacuation centers. This has contributed to high
maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates.
Due to imbalanced gender power relations, women,
particularly, young girls, are forced to marry early to avoid
pre-marital sex. In some cases, these women are not only
forced to marry but also forced out of necessity to be part of a
polygamous marriage to elderly husbands.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
25/41
Moro Women Overseas Workers
Migration has a female face
Women form the majority of OFWs from Mindanao. Of
the 135,000 Mindanaoans who joined the international
labor market in 2002, majority or 88,000 were womenThe Middle East and Asia were top destinations of
OFWs from Mindanao
Increasing reliance on the export of young female
migrant labor into high-risk occupations abroad(Nisa Ul-Haq Fi Bangsamoro)
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
26/41
Women and Peace-Building in
Mindanao
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
27/41
Peace and Development
Advocates
The PDAP: coalition of six Philippine NGO networks thathave over 200 community-based NGOs and POs.Provides both training and financial assistance tocooperative members in the form of a micro-lending
program.
As cooperative members, women (and men) venture intovegetable and fruit selling in market stalls, cattle fattening,farming, trading, welding, and steel fabrication.
There are 200 peace and development advocates (PDAs)who are former MNLF combatants opting to engage incommunity development work instead of war.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
28/41
Emergency Livelihood
The Emergency Livelihood Assistance Project (ELAP) was
jointly designed and implemented by the Southern
Philippines Council of Peace and Development (SPCPD)
and USAID.
Former combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front
(MNLF) and their families provided assistance in the form
of inputs required for the production of a crop or product
(corn, cassava, bananas, tilapia fish, seaweed, and mud
crabs) as well as training and technical assistance. The
targeted beneficiaries of this livelihood program were
2,200 ex-combatants and their families.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
29/41
Mothers for Peace
Mindanao Commission on Women (MCW): national peace
advocacy campaignMothers for Peace
M4P A response to the 2003 bombing of Buliok MILF Campthat ended the ceasefire and cut off the peace talks
Aimed to convince the government and the MILF to
immediately resume peace negotiations. The strategy
included speaking to cabinet-level officials, lobbying theleadership of the AFP and the MILF, and getting the voice of
the womenparticularly mothersout to the Philippine
population as a whole.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
30/41
Islam and RH
Al-Mujadilah Development Foundation Inc. (AMDF)- a
Muslim womens organization based in Marawi City
advocating for Peace, Reproductive Health, Good
governance and Community Empowerment.
AMDF Core values center on the belief that the
Bangsamoro liberation movements quest for the right to
self determination through a negotiated political settlement
with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines will
never be fully realized until every single Moro woman in
every single Moro household is able to practice her right
to self-determination.
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
31/41
IDPs & the Dignity Kit
AMDF initiated the provision of a hygiene kit for IDPs:
included undergarments, a local piece of clothing that
covers the body (malong) and essential toiletries.
Deviated from the international standard of emergencyassistance by converting some of the items in the standard
list into the Dignity kit.
Boosted the morale and sense of well-being of the IDPs
whether male or female. This initiative has now beenincorporated in the standard emergency package of
humanitarian organizations both local and international and
since became known as the dignity kit
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
32/41
Islam and Gender Justice
Nisa Ul-Haqq Fi Bangsamoro, an organization of Moro womencivil society leaders from the various tribes of the AutonomousRegion of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) advocating for Morowomens empowerment through legal literacy, legislative reformas well as security sector reform.
Some members are lawyers who provide legal assistance torape victims and men and women whose rights are violated bythe state.
Advocacy to amend the Code of Muslim Personal Laws or PD1978
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
33/41
Bantay Ceasefire
Bantay Ceasefire or ceasefire
watch, a one of a kind initiative of
grassroots organizations of tri-
people
Led to other initiatives such as:
Communities declaring their areas
as Peace Zones where fire arms
are not allowed in the communities
The IDPs conductingBakwitPower or IDP power where they
visit and dialogue with Manila-
based government agencies
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
34/41
GPH-MILF Peace Panels
Appointment of Women Leaders into both panels: A milestone in the
Peace Process
Womens participation in the peace process: greatly contributes to in-
depth understanding of the Mindanao conflict
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
35/41
GPH-MILF Peace Panels
Inclusive peace panels are able to incorporate the special
needs of women in conflict areas such as gender-based
violence
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
36/41
Framework Agreement on the
Bangsamoro
Status quo is unacceptable and
that the Bangsamoro shall
replace the Autonomous Region
in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
Creation of a Ministerial form of
government
Asymmetric relations between
Central Govt and theBangsamoro
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
37/41
Framework Agreement on the
Bangsamoro
Enshrined Basic Rights:
Right of women to
meaningful political
participation and protection
from all forms of violence
Right to equal opportunity
and non-discrimination in
social and economic activity
and public service,regardless of class, creed,
disability, gender or ethnicity
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
38/41
Policy Recommendations
Eliminate all forms of
discrimination against
women and promote
gender equality
Secure the participation of
women in all forms of
decision-making from
planning to program
implementation
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
39/41
Policy Recommendations
Capacitate the security
sector in addressing
gender-based violence:
creation of womens desks,
crises centers at the local
levels
Ensure implementation and
localization of UNSCR
1325 and the Magna Carta
for Women
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
40/41
Policy Recommendations
Strengthen human rights
protection by consolidating
a regional human rights
body in Muslim Mindanao
Reform the Code of MuslimPersonal Laws (PD 1083)
in order to address
impediments in Muslim
womens ability to
participate in political, social
and economic life
7/30/2019 Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict
41/41
Thank You