Group renews call for inclusion of women in gov’t, MILF peace panels
“It was really the way resources are allocated,” she said, adding, “if women are not involved in decision making about resource allocations, the priorities of men and women are different.[]
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“Even women involved in the struggle, who were even considered ‘iconic,’ really had a hard time negotiating for resources after the 1996 peace pact was signed,” she noted.
She said that when people think of war, they only think of combatants, not of the whole system involving women and children.
“Oftentimes, women become ‘invisible so that when the peace dividends come, they are no longer included,” she said.
The amount that MNLF women were able to access after the peace agreement was ‘small’ but proved to be most sustainable, she said.
When given the choice, women tend to allocate resources on healthcare and childcare or on access to potable water among households while men tend to prioritize the building of structures and things that would boost their status, she added.[]
She also said it would be a big flaw in the peace negotiations if women don’t get to participate in the discussions of issues that have great impact on their lives.
“If development is the answer to conflict, then how can you have a genuine and sustainable development without women?” she asked. “’Women are central in resolving the conflict.” (Germelina Lacorte/Mindanews)
