THE PHILIPPINES: Women of Faith, Light of Peace

Today, at the Waterfront Hotel in Davao City, 150 women from Muslim communities all over the Philippines are gathered to engage each other for the sake of their families and communities. The “Regional Conference of Muslim Women Peace Advocates” is the culmination of one year of consultations organized by the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID) and the Magbassa Kita Foundation Inc. (MKFI) after the aleemat (Muslim women religious scholars) of the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines approved their “Declaration of Muslim Women Waging Peace” during the 2nd National Ulama Summit held in January 2009.

Despite efforts to eradicate violence, fight poverty and promote peaceful co-existence, Muslim Mindanao—specifically, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)—is the country's poorest and least served region, according to the National Statistics Coordination Board survey. A factor to be considered is the peace process, which has proceeded in fits and starts.
Without peace, how can there be development?

We know that in order to achieve peace and development, the peace process must be all-inclusive. Inclusiveness will give the process the legitimacy and critical political constituency it needs to succeed. Why then is half of the population—the women—not fully involved?

The 2004 Social Weather Stations (SWS) national survey conducted for the Mindanao Commission on Women (MCW) found that 66 percent of Filipinos agree to the test statement “successful peace process in Mindanao needs as much participation from women as from men.”

In Muslim society, the ulama (Muslim religious scholars and leaders formally educated in Islamic studies) are considered as an effective agent in leading the communities toward peace. A survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations in 2006 reported that over 80 percent of the Muslim respondents indicated that they had “much trust” in their religious leaders, male or female (aleemat). Eighty-nine percent had trust in the imam (Muslim leader who leads the prayer) and 85 percent in the ulama as compared to only 79 percent having trust in the elected barangay (village) captain and 69 percent trusting the traditional (non-religious) leaders.

In spite of these findings, women—in this particular case, the aleemat—have not had significant roles in the peace process or in policy-making and implementation of programs. It is puzzling that the Philippines, which has produced two women presidents, has failed to actively include women's participation in peace processes.

Mindanao women, particularly the Muslims, face many challenges. They are constrained not only as women in a male-dominated culture but also as Muslims in a largely Christian population, subject to prejudice and discrimination.

Worse, ARMM has become the most dangerous region in the Philippines for women. ARMM has the highest mortality rate for women in childbirth. Armed conflict which resumed in August 2008 after the non-signing of the memorandum of agreement on Ancestral Domain had resulted in 700,000 displaced for several months. Most of the evacuees or “bakwits” are women and children. Majority of the victims of the Ampatuan massacre were women, destroying the widely held respect and protection accorded to women in Muslim Mindanao. And still the women demand to be involved.

Thus, the regional women's conference in Davao will feature influential Muslim women leaders and scholars of Asean who will discuss women's rights, how Muslim women have organized to serve their communities, how women can participate in peace and development, among others.

Maznah Masop, chief executive officer of the Persatuan Pemudi Islam Singapura (PPIS), will talk about the experiences of PPIS in
“Addressing the Needs and Interests of Muslim Women towards Building Strong Families.” PPIS is Singapore's only Malay Muslim women's organization, envisioned to empower Muslim women with leadership skills, knowledge and support to make a positive impact on their families, society and the nation.

Dr. Amany Lubis will discuss the experiences of Muslimat in “Capacitating Women for National Development.” In Indonesia, the Muslimat is the women's organization of Nadhlatul Ulama and has played a significant role in shaping gender perspective that would allow Muslim women to participate in peace and democratic developments.

Profressor Datin Rashidah Shuib, Ph.D, of the Women's Development Research Center, Malaysia, will lecture on “Women's
Reproductive Health: A Path for Gender Development.” The datin will discuss different initiatives in promoting women's reproductive health which give information and counseling to women in all health initiatives to enable them to make informed
decisions.

Professor Lily Zakiyah Munir, Director, Center for Pesantren and Democracy Studies (CePDeS), Indonesia, will present on “Muslim Women, Islam and Human Rights Education: The Experience of CePDeS.” The pesantren is the Indonesian Islamic boarding school. Lily's discussion will resonate with the aleemat as most them teach at the madrasah (Islamic school) and have expressed a desire to learn more about human rights in the Islamic context, that they may become advocates.

From January 24 to 26, the participants will look into the violence that affects the lives of millions of women of Mindanao, regardless of socioeconomic classes. Violence—whether physical, political or psychosocial—cuts across cultural and religious barriers, impeding the right of women to participate fully in society. It is interesting to note that during the 7th century, reforms introduced by Islam resulted in the provision of women's rights in marriage, divorce and inheritance. These rights were not provided to women in Christian communities for centuries. Unfortunately, Muslim women have suffered from diminution of their rights in modern society.

Changing attitudes and policies towards women will take time but women are patient.

The women of faith participating in the regional conference have called their group “Noor-us Salam” or the “light of peace.” In the darkness, one lit candle is a beacon to guide the way. Imagine hundreds of beacons that are these women of faith . . .