WMSU-PHSI presents “Vulnerabilities of women and children amidst Mindanao's peace and security WMSU issues” Marcelina G. Carpizo, Ph.D 1 What’s in here? ■ The Geographical and Socio-Economic and Political Context of Mindanao ■ Peace and Security Issues ■ Effects on Women and Children Displacement Human Trafficking Other forms of Abuse and Violence Health Education ■ Peace Initiatives ■ Lessons Learned ■ Ways Forward 2 The Mindanao Context Poverty and the lack of social opportunity – both key drivers and outcomes of conflict. Four out of the top 5 poorest regions in the Philippines are in Mindanao (PSA). 60% of residents in conflict-affected areas live below poverty line 97,530 square km MINDANAO 4 Mindanao’s Natural Resources One of the 21 Best Beaches in the Maria Christina Falls in Iligan World by National Geographic 2017 supplies 70% of Power in Mindanao 5 Mindanao : The Land of Promise MUSLIM GROUPS MARANAO TAUSUG MAGUINDANAO BADJAO IRANUN 6 Mindanao’s Indigenous People A. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE SUBANEN BUKIDNON BAGOBO MANDAYA SUBANEN BUKIDNON MANDAYA BAGOBO MANOBO MANOBO T’BOLI YAKAN B’LAAN TIRURAY TIRURAY T’BOLI YAKAN B’LAAN 7 Peace and Security Issues: ARMED COMBATANT GROUPS Moro National Liberation Front - 1969 Moro Islamic Liberation Front - 1981 New People’s Army - 1969 9 Peace and Security Issues: Other armed group Abu Sayyaf terrorist organization - Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) Daesh (formally referred to as ISIL) Maute Group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) 10 When crises events strike... Families and communities are separated Health, education, police, and social services are disrupted Community support systems and protection mechanisms break down Displacement:Effects on Women and Children A. Marawi Siege May 23, 2017 78,466 families or 360,000 persons displaced An estimated 98% of the Marawi City population is believed to have been displaced due to the conflict (International Organization for Migration,2017). UNICEF reported that over 160,000 of the displaced population are children Displacement:Effects on Women and Children B Zamboanga Siege September 9,2013 10,000 houses burned. 120,000 people displaced 63,000 people were unable to return to their homes because parts of the city were declared “no return areas” As of December 2014, 209 IDPs were reported to have died due to pneumonia and acute gastroenteritis. Half of them were children under 5 years old. Displacement:Effects on Women and Children C . Clashes between authorities and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters 2015 120 ,000 casualties D. Clan Feud 8,680 persons (1,736 families) displaced June 27, 2018 in Maguindanao E. Camp Abubakar all out war in 2000 More than 20,000 residents were affected by the clash. 14 Displacement:Effects on Women and Children A child was killed by his family’s enemy He was killed with the assumption that if he grows older he will eventually make his revenge ALBERT E. ALEJO, SJ Mindanawon Initiatives for Cultural Dialogue Displacement:Effects on Women and Children Armed conflict in Cotabato, October • Affected 6 barangays, affecting 5,726 persons or 2010 1,042 families Armed conflict in • 105 families were affected when the groups of Cotabato, February two Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) 2012 commanders clashed in North Cotabato over a long-running land dispute Armed conflict in • An encounter between the Armed Forces of the Butuan City, March Philippines (AFP) and the New People's Army 2013 (NPA) in Barangay Anticala forced 750 persons or 150 families to flee 16 Displacement:Effects on Women and Children Military offensive vs BIFF, March 2015 • At least 8,149 families or 40,745 individuals were displaced following the military's all-our war against rebel group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). Butig clashes, March 2016 • At least 7,800 people were displaced as government troops clashed with the Maute terror group. Military operations vs Abu Sayyaf, January 2016-February 2017 • More than 68,400 displaced in Sulu and Basilan. • Most of the IDPs returned home by December 2016. 17 Displacement:Effects on Women and Children Bohol clashes April 2017 • Around 3,000 people were displaced when government troops clashed with the Abu Sayyaf Basilan bombing July 31,2018 • 705 families have been evacuated Military presence in Indigenous People community • 38 Indigenous families ( approximately 173 individuals ) August 28,2018 18 Current IDPs in need of a durable solution Total No. of IDPs who are ARMED CONFLICT AND NATURAL DISASTER presently displaced in CRIME / VIOLENCE Mindanao 104,316 97,250 7,066 DISPLACEMENT TOTAL RECORDED NUMBER OF PERSONS WHO IDPs DISPLACED IN MOVEMENT IN DISPLACEMENT IN HAVE RETURNED AUGUST IN AUGUST 2018 AUGUST 2018 NEED OF A DURABLE SOLUTION 19,498 12,503 6,995 rotectioncluster 19 Psychological Effect of Displacement to children Marawi Experience - Unusual - Unwillingness - Sadness to go to school crying and - Aggressive screaming - Nightmares behavior - Disrespectful behavior 20 Effects on Women and Children: Human Trafficking “I am 3 months pregnant and my husband sold me to another man after the siege so we will have something to eat” “I am from Sulu, I went together with other children of my age to Zamboanga City to escape the on going military operation against the Abusayyaf, but were forced to work in a video bar and entertain male customers in Isabela, Basilan” “After the siege , our life with my brother , 8 yrs old became more difficult in the hands of our father , we were sold to a foreigner who abused us sexually, while another man is the one taking video of the act and another man in the screen (laptop) is also watching and paddling his private part “ 21 Effects on Women and Children: Human Trafficking “He was told it was his specific duty to kill government soldiers.” “They taught me how to kill people. If I don't kill, I will die. They will kill me first)," he said.” When he was in Butig, he did not question the teachings. Not even in his mind. “I really did believe them for two years. I really believed)," he said. • His singular dream was to go to heaven and he was taught dying in battle was the way this could happen. 22 Effects on Child Victim LEGEND Social effects Physical effects Psychological effects Mental Disorder Substance Stigmatized Abuse Stress Physical Disorder Injuries Ostracized Sexual Abuse Diminished Relational Productive Death Low Stunted Difficulties Potentials Self-esteem Growth HIV/AIDS STDs Poor Nutrition Effects to women and children Other forms of abuse and exploitation Child Labour Sexual harassment Rape Physical Abuse 24 Effects on Women and Children: Other forms of Abuses and Violence a 5 year old girl was allegedly raped by her uncle inside the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex Thursday evening, September 19. The incident happened night- time, while both parents left the child in the care of the man. It showed that prostitution has been happening inside and outside of the grandstand. The youngest was a 12-year-old boy, who later tested positive for an STD (sexually transmitted disease). 25 Effects to women and children Other forms of conflict –related abuse and exploitation Catcalling Vagrancy daily forms of degradation such as, taking a bath in full view of the neighbours Prostitution 26 Prostitution : Their narratives • Karina said she never wanted to prostitute herself, but the conditions had forced her, especially when three of her children got sick “one after the other.” • Moreover, her husband, who had volunteered to build bunkhouses for the IDPs in Barangay Mariki, became ill and his condition got serious. “No one bothered to pay him or extend financial support,” Karina said. • She said she tried going around, begging for money, but the cash hardly came. So she thought of sleeping with other men for money. • At Masepla Transitory Site in the city’s Barangay Mampang, there is the so-called “fish for sex.” • Tira Beinte 27 Zamboanga Hostage Taking: Grave Child Rights Violation More or less 200 people were hostage MNLF gunmen tied together hostages as human shields 2 were killed and 7 . wounded Grave Child Rights Violations 2017 verified data 60 Attacks on Schools and Hospitals 30 Children Recruited and Used 33 Killing and Maiming 5 incidents of abduction, involving 7 children 29 Effects on Women and Children: Health and Nutrition KEY FIGURES 360,000 (Marawi Siege) internally displaced persons 51,000 displaced people need essential health services. 15,000 under five need nutritional assessment 210,500 people need latrine facilities Effects on Women and Children: Education Marawi Siege : learning of more than 86,000 children disrupted an estimated 22,700 displaced school children are still not back in school (UNICEF, 2017). 7,487 displaced Marawi students have already been enrolled across 10 different regions to continue their education. Government Peace Initiatives Tripoli Agreement in 1976 1987 Jeddah Accord Creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARRM) under Corazon Aquino in 1989 1996 Peace Agreement Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro 2014 The Bangsamoro Organic Law signed in 2018 32 BUILDING BACK BETTER ZAMBOANGA : PEACE INITIATIVES WMSU 2013 ZAMBOANGA SIEGE 33 Schools as Zones of Peace : Zamboanga Siege WMSU Community Kitchen Satellite Hospital 34 Schools as zones of Peace : Zamboanga Siege Construction of Temporary Learning Spaces in MASEPLA Transitory Site Child –friendly spaces 35 ZAMBOANGA EDUCATION PROJECT : RESPONSE TO CHILDREN AFFECTED BY ARMED CONFLICT IN ZAMBOANGA CITY IDP Children