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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. The countries 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.

Women, Peace-building and the Mindanao Conflict

Nassreena Sampaco-Baddiri

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)

Outline
I. Institutional Context of the Mindanao Conflict i. Political ii. Economic iii. Social II. Realities of Moro Women i. Population and Poverty ii. Armed Conflict and Displacement iii. Health and Education III. IV. Moro women and Peace-building in Mindanao Policy Recommendations

Mindanao Conflict
Clash between two imagined nations or
nationalisms, Filipino and Moro, each with their own 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.

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

Institutional Context: Politics

The evolution of political institutions in Mindanao

Datu/ Sultanate System

Colonial Governance
Spanish Colonial Era American Colonial Government

Post-independence Philippine Republic

Pre-Colonial Governance

Post-colonial

1920s: Muslim leaders asserted their right to a nation state

Institutional Context: Politics

Marcos:
Unilateral Implementation of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement Lupon ng Tagapagpaganap ng Pook (Regions 9 and 12) 1987 Jeddah Accord Regional Consultative Commission RA 6734 Organic Act of the ARMM

C. Aquino: ARMM

Ramos:

1996 Final Peace Agreement

Institutional Context: Economics

Flourishing 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

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

Institutional Context: Economics

Demographic 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 precolonial era The establishment of corporate plantations resulted to competition of resources between migrants and locals, which fueled violence and engendered lawlessness in many parts of Mindanao.

Institutional Context: Society

The social divide between the largely Christian majority and the minority Muslim Filipinos: reinforced past colonial prejudice and policies of divide and conquer. The colonial picture of Moros as savages has changed very little even decades after the post-colonial era. (Abinales, 2007)

Institutional Context: Society

In 2005: Philippine Human Development, 55% of respondents believe that Muslims are prone to run amok; 44% believe Muslims probably secretly hated all non-Muslims; and only 14% could cite a personal experience with a Muslim.

1997: Filipinas Foundation scientific survey of Muslim-Christian relations: there exists a high crosssectional level of Christian bias against all Muslims in all aspects of interpersonal relations

In a 2004 SWS survey: 41% of respondents had an unfavorable view of Muslims in the Philippines. 81% view Islam as a religion that is very different from Christianity

In a 2010 SWS Survey: Filipinos have a very low familiarity with Islam with 76% saying they have insufficient, little or no knowledge of Islam.

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

Institutional Analysis of the ARMM

Marcos Administration Regional Commissions 9 and 12 1976 Tripoli Agreement LTP Autonomous Regions 9 and 12

Cory Aquino Administration 1987 Jeddah Accord 1987 Constitution Regional Consultative Commission 1989 Organic Act RA 6734

Ramos Administration 1996 Final Peace Agreement Chair Nur Misuari as Regional Governor of ARMM

Arroyo Administration RA 9054 Plebiscite MOA-AD

Realities of Moro Women

Population and Poverty Armed Conflict and Displacement

Health and Education

MDG Rate of Progress: Poverty and Hunger in the ARMM

Baseline (1990)

Current Level (2005/06) 23.60 (2003) 52.80 (2003)

Target by 2015

Ave. rate of Progress -.058

Required rate

Ratio of Required Rate to Ave. rate -0.70

Probability of Attaining Target

Prop of pop. Below subsistence Prop of pop. Below poverty thres Prop of Families below poverty threshold

30.50 (1991) 56.00 (1991)

15.23 (2015) 28.00 (2015)

1.21

High

-0.27

7.75

-2.07

Low

50.70 (1991)

45.40 (2003)

25.35 (2015)

-0.44

3.78

-1.67

Low

Source: United Nations Development Programme, Philippines 2010

Poverty Incidence
2006 showed poverty in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) reached 55.3 percent (NSCB)
The incidence of poverty in the ARMM is more than two times the national average of 26.9 percent.

Moro women: Population and Poverty

Basilan: rapid increase in population growth rates between from 2000 and 2007. Sulu has an annual population growth rate of 4.45 percent Tawi-Tawi registered a 4.7 percent average annual population growth rate in a span of seven years

Higher population growth rate, high incidence of hunger, greater stress on Women
(Nisa Ul-Haq Fi Bangsamoro)

Human Development Index

National Rank
Philippines Metro Manila 13 17 Misamis Oriental South Cotabato

Province

HDI
0.72 0.78 0.65 0.64

18
27 35 36

Davao del Sur

Camiguin Zamboanga del Sur Lanao del Norte

0.63
0.58 0.56 0.56

68
74

Lanao del Sur

Basilan

0.48
0.41

75
76 77

Tawi-tawi
Maguindanao Sulu

0.36
0.36 0.30

Life Expectancy
HDI-1 Rank 2003 Province Life expectancy at birth (years) 2003 % HS Graduate (18 and above) 2003 Male 76.2 48.8 47.1 45.8 44.5 33.3 43.9 29.2 21.6 50.59

17 18 20 68 74 75 76 77

Metro Manila South Cotabato Davao del Sur Cebu Lanao del Sur Basilan Tawi-Tawi Maguindanao Sulu

Female Male Female 72.9 67.0 75.3 70.5 66.0 55.5 72.7 69.5 51.6 74.1 71.2 47.1 59.6 56.1 47.1 64.3 56.9 29.9 53.6 48.7 37.8 52.8 51.2 28.6 55.6 49.9 20.5

Philippines 72.4 67.2 53.52 Source: Human Development Network, 2005

Moro Women: Reproductive Health

Due to cultural, religious and logistical reasons, women in the ARMM generally have less access to modern family planning methods. Women experience frequent pregnancies and closely spaced births. There is poor access to health facilities and health workers need support to detect and manage high-risk pregnancies.
(Nisa Ul-Haq Fi Bangsamoro)

Internally Displaced Persons

Estimated 2.5 million displaced by conflict in Mindanao

Lived Realities of Moro women: Armed conflict, and volatile peace and order situation

Internal displacement as a result of Armed Clashes Most IDPs in the ARMM are Muslim women and children The women in the family bears the burden
(Nisa Ul haqq Fi Bangsamoro)

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.

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 women The 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)

Women and Peace-Building in Mindanao

Peace and Development Advocates

The PDAP: coalition of six Philippine NGO networks that have over 200 community-based NGOs and POs. Provides both training and financial assistance to cooperative members in the form of a micro-lending program. As cooperative members, women (and men) venture into vegetable 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 in community development work instead of war.

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.

Mothers for Peace

Mindanao Commission on Women (MCW): national peace advocacy campaignMothers for Peace
M4P A response to the 2003 bombing of Buliok MILF Camp that 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 the leadership of the AFP and the MILF, and getting the voice of the womenparticularly mothersout to the Philippine population as a whole.

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.

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 emergency assistance 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 been incorporated in the standard emergency package of humanitarian organizations both local and international and since became known as the dignity kit

Islam and Gender Justice

Nisa Ul-Haqq Fi Bangsamoro, an organization of Moro women civil society leaders from the various tribes of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) advocating for Moro womens empowerment through legal literacy, legislative reform as well as security sector reform. Some members are lawyers who provide legal assistance to rape victims and men and women whose rights are violated by the state. Advocacy to amend the Code of Muslim Personal Laws or PD 1978

Bantay Ceasefire
Bantay Ceasefire or ceasefire watch, a one of a kind initiative of grassroots organizations of tripeople Led to other initiatives such as:
Communities declaring their areas as Peace Zones where fire arms are not allowed in the communities The IDPs conducting Bakwit Power or IDP power where they visit and dialogue with Manilabased government agencies

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 indepth understanding of the Mindanao conflict

GPH-MILF Peace Panels

Inclusive peace panels are able to incorporate the special needs of women in conflict areas such as gender-based violence

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 the Bangsamoro

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

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

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

Policy Recommendations
Strengthen human rights protection by consolidating a regional human rights body in Muslim Mindanao Reform the Code of Muslim Personal Laws (PD 1083) in order to address impediments in Muslim womens ability to participate in political, social and economic life

Thank You