DFA Champions Women’s Transformative Role in Peacebuilding at Launch of New Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan
SFA Enrique A. Manalo delivers the Closing Remarks during the launch of the NAPWPS 2023-2033
MANILA 21 December 2023 – DFA joined champions of women’s transformative role in peacebuilding during the launch of the Philippine National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security 2023-2033 (NAPWPS) hosted by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City on 11 December 2023.
Recognizing that women are disproportionately affected by conflict and at the same time play a crucial role in promoting peace and security, the NAPWPS integrates gender-responsive approaches into the Philippines’ peace processes.
Building on the first three versions of the NAPWPS, the fourth-generation document focuses on the root causes of conflict, allowing stakeholders to take a more proactive approach. The action plan also emphasizes the diversity in the experiences and backgrounds of women peace advocates, recognizing and valuing their intersecting identities.
With the theme “EmpowHER: Paving Paths to Inclusive, Just, and Sustainable Peace”, the ceremonial launch and forum on the NAPWPS underlined the collaborative partnership among government agencies, local civil society organizations, and international partners in developing the national action plan.
In his closing remarks, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Enrique A. Manalo highlighted Philippine leadership in the global Women, Peace, and Security Agenda, “Our commitment to the WPS agenda is not just a contemporary initiative — it is a continuation of a legacy that has always aspired for peace, equality, justice and freedom which are now enshrined in our 1987 Constitution. This commitment extends beyond our borders, finding resonance in our engagements with the United Nations, ASEAN, and other international organizations.”
In ASEAN, the first Philippine NAPWPS in 2010 was a trailblazer, being the first NAPWPS in Southeast Asia. During the Philippine Chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit in 2017, ASEAN Leaders issued a groundbreaking statement prioritizing the needs and rights of women in conflict-affected areas. In 2018, the Philippines also led the establishment of the ASEAN Women for Peace Registry in Cebu City.
In the UN, the Philippines spearheads biennial UN General Assembly Resolutions addressing violence against migrant workers and trafficking in women and girls, including during armed conflicts. In 2013, during the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the Philippines chaired the negotiations on the outcome document with the theme of eliminating violence and discrimination against women and girls – a significant achievement for the Philippines since the Commission was not able to come up with an agreement on the same theme ten years prior. Today, female peacekeepers comprise more than half of currently active Filipino peacekeepers.
The fourth-generation NAPWPS carries forward this legacy of Philippine leadership in empowering women to bring about peace in their communities.
The full NAPWPS 2023-2033 can be accessed through this link. END
Members of the National Steering Committee on Women, Peace, and Security, and Civil Society Organization Partners during the NAPWPS 2023-2033 Launch