General Santos City, Philippines – In a capacity building initiative hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support women peacebuilders and mediators in the Bangsamoro region, twenty-four (24) members of the Women Insider Mediators – Rapid Action and Mobilization Platform (WIM-RAMP) had the opportunity to strengthen their technical capacities as mediators for community interventions. Through the training, these women leaders who stand as local insider mediators were able to differentiate between the four mediation approaches and demonstrate mediation skills through simulation exercises.

Launched in March 2020, the WIM-RAMP is comprised of community-based women mediators from Moro and Indigenous Peoples communities in BARMM, who are committed to work towards strengthening the role of women in building peaceful and resilient communities in the region.   

The training was meant to teach the members the qualities, tasks, and ethical dilemmas that mediators face in reality. This course on mediation approaches is the third and final course in the series of capacity building activities facilitated by the Mediators Network for Sustainable Peace, (MedNet) Inc. for the WIM-RAMP members to be more equipped with knowledge and skills in implementing their community-level interventions.

The first two courses hosted by UNDP were on Non-Violent Communication and Conflict Mapping, where the WIM-RAMP members demonstrated non-violent communication skills, learned about the nature and dynamics of conflict, and used different diagnostic tools in conflict cases.

The series of trainings will support the WIM-RAMP’s mandate to change attitudes and behaviors that promote conflict and violence; create spaces for dialogue and mediation for peaceful resolution of conflicts in communities; facilitate rapid response for the prevention of violence; and to enhance participation and leadership of women in local peace processes.

The establishment of the WIM-RAMP is part of the joint initiative of the Bangsamoro Women Commission and UNDP Philippines to support of women, peace, and security (WPS) in BARMM, with Australia in The Philippines, British Embassy Manila and the Embassy of Sweden in Manila as partners.

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