MILF: Bangsamoro Women creates Coordinating Council for Unified Advocacy on Bangsamoro

From the MILF Website (Mar 12): Bangsamoro Women creates Coordinating Council for Unified Advocacy on Bangsamoro



With great challenge in mind on how to win the hearts of the Bangsamoro communities to support the crafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)  and the referendum after its promulgation by Congress,  the Muslim Women Advocacy for Good Governance (MWAGG) and the Ittihadun-Nisa’ Foundation (INFo) with support from The Asia Foundation (TAF) and British Embassy - Manila steered the conduct of the “Workshop on Women Leaders’ Participation in the Advocacy for the Bangsamoro Government”  held on March 1-2, 2014 at EM Manor Hotel, Cotabato City.  

The 2-day workshops were participated in by a total of 53 women leaders representing nine (9) national and local women organizations, namely, Muslim Women Advocacy for Good Governance (MWAGG), Ittihadun-Nisa’ Foundation (INFo), Noorus Salam, United Youth of the Philippines (UnYPhil)-Women, Moro Women Development and Cultural Center (MWDECC), Muslim Women Organization (MWO), Political Committee-Women Sector, Bangsamoro Women Auxiliary  Brigade (BWAB), and Social Welfare Committee (SWC).   The workshops were conceptualized in response to the pressing issues confronting the Bangsamoro communities, especially the Bangsamoro women, on their lack of awareness on the progress of the GRP-MILF peace process specifically the upcoming Bangsamoro Regional Government that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
 
This workshops gave an opportunity for participating members of women organizations to realize the importance of women leaders’ participation in the advocacy on the envisioned Bangsamoro Government, provide  women leaders’  the avenue to  understand deeply the  status of women in Islam especially in politics and facilitated the creation of a coordinating body for women organizations to strengthen advocacy program.  As a result of the workshops, the participants were able to level-off on Muslim women participation in politics in the context of Islam, share realities on the ground about the level of awareness and understanding of women on FAB and the proposed Bangsamoro region, and come-up with strategies for an effective advocacy program.

Grand Mufti Abu Hurayra Abdul Rahman Udasan was one of the speakers who shed light on women issues on leadership and governance through his topic “Women in Islamic Leadership and Governance.”  Other topics discussed were “Political Participation of Women in the Context of Islam” discussed by Aleema Faudzia Musanif, “Updates on the GRP-MILF Peace Process” specifically on the FAB by Prof. Raby Angkal, and “Advocacy and Lobbying” by MWAGG President, Naima Gumaga.  


To inspire and to further boost the morale of the participants in their commitment to solidify their groups for a unified and stronger advocacy on the proposed Bangsamoro Government, the group paid a visit to the Office of MILF 1st Vice-Chairman Ghadzali Jaafar, as an addendum to the contents of the activity. The 1st Vice-Chairman was very grateful and gave his briefing on how the women can contribute much to best prepare for the new phase of the struggle that the Bangsamoro people would be entering soon.

The workshops ended with planning the next steps of the newly-created Women Coordinating Council for the Bangsamoro Government.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/867-bangsamoro-women-creates-coordinating-council-for-unified-advocacy-on-bangsamoro