In partnership with the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) and the Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) convened 40 young women leaders from various BARMM provinces – Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-tawi – for a training on transformational leadership towards building capacities in conflict-prevention and peacebuilding.

The Bangsamoro NextGen Young Women Leaders’ Training provided an avenue to facilitate the bridging of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) and the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) programs of the BARMM government for a more integrated initiative that will allow for meaningful participation of young women and girls in peacebuilding and governance.

Among the key resource speakers that were invited in the event were: Ms. Amina Rasul-Bernardo (President of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy); Ms. Bea Almoite (Office of the Cabinet Secretary-BARMM), and Commissioner Nass Dunding of BYC.

From the civil society, women CSO leaders shared their stories to inspire the young women participants. Among the speakers were Ms. Charmaine Dagapioso of Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc. (BMFI), Ms. Kalma Isnain of the Integrated Resource Development for Tri-People (IRDT), Ms. Aileen Hualde of Women's Organization of Rajah Mamalu Descendants  (WORMD), Ms. Baina Samayatin of the Moro Women Development and Cultural Center (MWDECC), and Ms. Akrema Ante Arap of UNYPHIL Women. Ms. Maliya "Wilma" Madato also shared leadership narratives as one of the members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB) of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Key BARMM officials and women Members of Parliament (MPs) were also invited to share their own stories as young leaders to empower the NextGen Bangsamoro young women leaders in the activity.

Ms. Helen Rojas, Chief of Staff of the BWC delivered a message on behalf of the BWC Chairperson MP Bainon Karon.

MP Karon, in her message, said that: “women should be at the forefront. We must establish and sustain a community of practice of women peacebuilders. Let us consolidate our efforts as civil society, as government worker, as religious leader, as educator, etc. For, as I have often say, Bangsamoro women are stronger together.”

BYC Chairperson and Member of the Parliament Marjanie Mimbantas Macasalong participated in the event. MP Macasalong emphasized the importance of the Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security developed by the BWC, which promotes women’s active and effective participation in peacemaking and peacebuilding, and to prevent and address conflict-related sexual violence.

The BYC is in the final stages of crafting the Bangsamoro Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security (BAP-YPS) together with the UNDP and other partners. The BAP-YPS provides a contextualized direction to promote and recognize the roles of young women and men in building and sustaining peace in the region. He stressed that “these two agendas share one idea: The youth are not seen as a threat to security and women are not seen as victims. These two demographic groups are seen as agents of peace and nonviolence.”

In her message, MP Laisa Alamia addressed the young women leaders and reiterated that: “Anything you are going to do, wherever you are right now, all of this can be affected by the paradigms you work with and your own moral compass – the principles you hold in your mind and in your heart.” MP Alamia also added “I would like you to find your own lenses as changemakers. We have the same goals and objectives, and we see that there is something wrong in our society. As women and women leaders, we want these to change for the better,” she said. “You cannot do this alone. If you want to affect change, you have to participate. You have to take part."

MP Atty. Anna Basman emphasized the impactful role of women’s leadership in decision-making tables and the power of gender-fair and gender-empowering leadership and governance.

“Women’s leadership has created impactful change in the establishment of the Bangsamoro. It is no exaggeration to say that without the active leadership and participation of women—from crafting the peace agreement, to pushing for legislation and campaigning for the plebiscite, to building the institutions of the Bangsamoro in the region’s infancy—we would not have the BARMM as we know it today,” MP Basman said.

The training is part of UNDP’s project on Integrating Women, Peace and Security into Peacebuilding in the Bangsamoro Region (IWPS), which is supported by the British Embassy in Manila, the Embassy of the Netherlands, and the Embassy of Sweden.  The IWPS project aims to promote women's roles in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and community resilience. The IWPS work also supports the engagement with the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC) on Regional Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

Similarly, UNDP also recognizes the role of the youth in peacebuilding and conflict prevention through its support to the formulation of the BARMM Regional Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, youth social innovation and leadership initiatives and youth volunteers programme development.

In close collaboration with the BWC and BYC, UNDP will continue to assist in efforts towards enhancing the role of Bangsamoro women and the youth as they play critical roles in the implementation of the peace agreement, in conflict-transformation, and in building sustainable development in the region.

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