From thirteen, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) now counts sixteen* women among its 80 members of parliament who were appointed yesterday by the president, led by BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, Al Haj.
This means one out of five newly-appointed members of the BTA Parliament are women, inching closer to the world average of having 25% women in parliaments as of 2020.
In her explanatory note for the Women’s Caucus Bill which she filed in the BTA Parliament two years ago, MP Atty. Laisa Masuhud Alamia stressed that “with the need for a more equitable representation for women in Parliament, it becomes all the more important to nurture and encourage the presence of women in key decision-making spaces.”
Having been re-appointed as a member of Parliament, MP Alamia intends to continue pushing for women’s rights through legislation and coordinating with civil society in opening up spaces for women representation and political participation in the Bangsamoro region.
“Having more women in the BTA Parliament is a welcome development because women’s leadership is essential to the success of any social and political endeavor,” she said. “I am confident we can continue the good work that the BTA has started, especially in addressing the issues and concerns of women in the Bangsamoro.”
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* Alamia, Ampatuan, Anayatin, Arnado, Basman, Candao, Dumama-Alba, Jajurie, Maglangit, Mantawil, Mendoza, Misuari, Pangandaman, Ramos, Silongan, Uy-Oyod.
