Assalamualaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!

Highlighting women’s rights, needs, and roles in peacebuilding and peacekeeping are central to effective and relevant governance in the Bangsamoro, especially given the region’s history of armed conflict in its struggle for peace and justice. This is why the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security 2020-2022 is a very important initiative of the regional government, one that is rooted in a long history of government initiatives towards recognition and inclusion of women’s hopes and aspirations at every level of government.

The launch of the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security is part of the region’s observance of the 20th year of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 or UNSCR 1325. Both documents are affirmations of the important role of women in peacebuilding and humanitarian initiatives while pushing for women’s equal participation and full involvement in all efforts involving peace and security, which includes the adoption of measures that protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, that arise from incidents of armed conflict.

More than a decade ago, the first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security was implemented in the region through projects that were jointly implemented by the ARMM regional government, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), and civil society organizations that pushed for women’s rights and recognition in the region. The region’s approach to women, peace, and security has since encouraged more community-led and driven initiatives, guided by the Bangsamoro Women’s Commission and in coordination with civil society and grassroots organizations.

Seeing how the Bangsamoro regional government continues the legacy of women empowerment and participation, not just in peace-building but in the pursuit of meaningful governance, is a sign of continued progress in the region. As we carry on the fight against gender-based discrimination and harassment in the Bangsamoro, it is our duty to ensure that the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security will be a living, breathing document that will center women’s rights and welfare in every policy and program that the Bangsamoro government will enact and implement.

A copy of the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security can be accessed below: