Sweden supports BARMM women’s autonomy
SWEDEN is actively involved in promoting women’s empowerment and the strengthening of communities in the country, said its ambassador in Manila.
“We are a major funder in the Department of Peacekeeping in BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). We want women to participate in peacekeeping. All actors must be involved in peacebuilding and women are usually victims more than combatants., Civilians, children , “said the Swedish ambassador to the Philippines Annika Thunborg in a virtual roundtable discussion with The Manila Times.
The establishment of BARMM in March 2019 has been a major step in finding a solution to the 400-year-old conflict in Mindanao.
In October, the Swedish government and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) inaugurated the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC).
Developed with the support of various UN agencies, BWC launched the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan (RAP) for Women, Peace and Security Agenda 2019, with the aim of strengthening the role of Bangsamoro women in the implementation of the peace agreement and the protection of their human rights in conflict and post-conflict. transformation.
Sweden will support UNDP and BWC’s work to implement RAP and women’s, peace and security agenda, in the new Bangsamoro Community Resilience Framework.
“We are largely part of the European aid that has committed itself to helping build peace in BARMM. To ensure that the government can function as a government and the rule of law,” said Thunborg, adding that women play major roles during natural times. . disasters, conflicts and pandemics.
“Capacity building and the actual transfer of knowledge are important to ensure that people can take responsibility for their future development through aid, security and humanitarian aid,” she said.
Among the partnership projects between the Philippines and Sweden is the Women Insider Mediators-Rapid Action and Mobilization Platform (WIM-RAMP).
WIM-RAMP enables community-based women mediators from Moro and indigenous peoples in BARMM to empower women as peacemakers, conflict mediators and community leaders.
BWC President and Member of Parliament Bainon Karon said she believed that initiatives such as this would “introduce women, especially in transitional institutions and the mechanisms needed to enable broad implementation processes.”
More support
The British Embassy in Manila recently signed a new partnership strengthening Bangsamoro’s Regional Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security (BARMM RAP-WPS) 2020-2022, adopted by the BWC. The partnership will support women’s commitment to preventing violence and pro-violence extremism in their communities.
“With the agreement, the UK Government will support the UNDP and the Bangsamoro Women’s Commission in their ongoing efforts to facilitate more involvement of Bangsamoro women in peace – building efforts and enable them to play a vital role as mediators, conveners and mediators in maintaining peace. in the region “, the British embassy said in a statement.
Alastair Totty, the British embassy’s ChargĂ© d’Affaires, said Britain would “continue to place gender equality at the heart of Britain’s programs to promote economic growth, peace and stability in BARMM.”
The Government of Australia is also providing additional resources for the Joint Program by supporting BARMM’s database management system for cash transfer recipients and providing emergency cash transfers.
UNDP, on the other hand, will further provide technical assistance to the BWC for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the BARMM RAP-WPS in partnership with the Presidential Adviser’s Office for the Peace Process and UN Women.