Sulong CARHRIHL forged sectoral partnership in promoting CARHRIHL

by Wilson K. Requez*

Local sectoral consultation has been an important component of the peace building strategy of Sulong CARHRIHL, a national network promoting observance of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) signed by the Philippine Government and the National Democratic Front. This strategy has now evolved into a partnership with wide range of NGOs and organizations in different provinces.

The inadequacies of conventional peace building strategies in dealing with problems attendant to the on-going hostilities between the government and the CPP-NPA is now widely recognized. In the same breath, the advantages of bottom-up, stakeholder based and sectoral approaches are widely acknowledged.

Thus a series of local consultation workshops were conducted in Cebu and Nueva Ecija. These consultations provided venue for women, children and young people to share their experiences and lessons drawn from actual peace building initiatives on the ground. Evidences show that women and children account for the vast majority of those adversely affected by armed conflict. The more important objective of the consultation was to cultivate a partnership actively campaigning for the observance of the CARHRIHL.

CARHRIHL and UN Resolution 1325 Women Consultation held last December 12, 2008 at the province of Nueva Ecija in partnership with the Franciscan Sisters (Sister Maria Vida Cordero, SFIC), PRRM-Women and SARILAYA. The women participants are grouped per area and were conducting the situational analysis workshop.

On 16 December 2008, a consultation-workshop was organized in partnership with the Cebu Labor Education and Research Center mostly attended by women organizations and leaders from different barangays of Mandaue City. The activity was held at the Social Development Center Conference Room. The large turn-out of participants from the women’s sector reflected interest in peace building through active participation in dialogues and engagement on the ground. The participants adhered to the set of values CARHRIHL espouses and they also recognized the value of the preventive aspects of the CARHRIHL for the protection of the communities from the adverse effects of hostilities. The activity also highlighted the interconnection of the CARHRIHL with that of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the United Nations (UN) Resolution 1325 1.

In Nueva Ecija, on January 11-12, 2009, consultations brought together lay persons, women and youth leaders from Young Franciscans, Parish Youth Ministries of Caranglan and Lupao, Nueva Ecija, Kasarian-Kalayaan (Sarilaya), Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM)-Women and the province-wide Nueva Ecija Women Leaders Alliance (NEWLAC) to share peace building strategies, sharpen skills and map out local peace building initiatives. The activity was in coordination with Sr. Maria Vida Cordero, SFIC. Consultations were held at the Franciscan Eco-Spirituality Center in Lupao, Nueva Ecija.

The consultation was held not just to inform but to create a venue for discussions on the concepts of peace and human rights through the structured learning exercise so that participants could make informed opinions on the CARHRIHL and the International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The Special Protection against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act otherwise known as Anti-Child Abuse Law (RA No. 7610) was also part of the discussion.

CARHRIHL Youth Consultation held last December 13, 2008 at the province of Nueva Ecija in partnership with the Franciscan Sisters (Sister Maria Vida Cordero, SFIC) and the Youth Commission of the Diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija. Our Networking Officer, Wilson Requez facilitating the discussion on the complementation of CARHRIHL and Republic Act 7610 (Child Rights Protection Law).

During the situational analysis, the women testified that due to the government’s heightened counter-insurgency strategy the serenity of their communities has been shattered and their normal lives disrupted. The military operations in the towns of what the military believed as NPA lairs have resulted to human rights violations as a consequence of the systematic adoption of the “order of battle” approach against suspected NPA sympathizers and members, obliging all residents and even minors to have a “cedula” or residence certificate. The consultations in Cebu and Nueva Ecija were highlighted by the formalization of partnership with women and youth organizations in the promotion of the CARHRIHL on the ground.

*The writer is the Networking Officer of Sulong CARHRIHL.

1 Security Council Resolution 1325 was passed unanimously on 31 October 2000. Resolution (S/RES/1325) is the first resolution ever passed by the Security Council that specifically addresses the impact of war on women, and women's contributions to conflict resolution and sustainable peace.