Saturday, March 27, 2010

ARMM holds consultation on gender, development code and Magna Carta for Women


Lanao del Sur 1st District Assemblyman Ziahur Rahman Alonto Adiong (1st from Left) joins the group of young lady officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as panelists and resource speaker during the Conference on the Magna Carta of Women here in Cotabato City on Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Also shown (from left to right) are lawyer Christina Hawtay Jovero, OIC, regional director of the Commission on Human Rights –Region 12 and ARMM; DTI-ARMM Regional Secretary lawyer Asnairah Batua; Philippine Commission on Women executive director Emmeline Versoza as the Resource Speaker; ARMM Bureau on Cultural Heritage Executive Director lawyer Bai Ashrafiah Aymee Biruar and Regional Legislative Assembly Gender and Development focal person lawyer Bai Ysrahayda Sinsuat.

Assemblyman Adiong delivered the message of the ARMM acting regional governor Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong on the conference. PCW Executive Director Emmeline Versoza explains to participants of the Conference on Magna Carta of Women the salient provisions of the Republic Act 9710 Tuesday in Cotabato City. The conference was one of the activities on the month-long celebration of the Women’s Month with the theme “Babae, Tagumpay Ka Ng Bayan” spearheaded by the Regional Commission on Bangsamoro Women.


COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Concerned sectors and stakeholders are pushing for the adoption of Gender and Development Code for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in a bid to empower resident-women and enable them to participate in local development undertakings.

The Regional Commission on Bangsamoro Women (RCBW) and the Regional Sub-Committee on Gender and Development (RSCGAD) conducted their final consultation in Maguindanao on the draft GAD Code in the region and a conference on Magna Carta for Women here on March 22 and 23, respectively.

The activity was the last of the series of provincial consultations concerning the drafting of the GAD Code, gathering local government stakeholders and development partners to brainstorm on issues and concerns involved in the prospected legislation of the code.

The adoption of the code could be “a regional landmark legislation that promotes and protects women’s rights in different areas and responds to gender issues and concerns affecting women and children in the region”, said DILG-ARMM assistant secretary and GAD Code Technical Working Group chair Sharifa Pearlsia.Dans.

The “implementation of the ARMM GAD Code will give best chances to the rural men and women to enjoy various basic programs and services, create greater participation of women in socio-economic development and active representation in the local legislative bodies in the discussion of their needs and wants”, stressed RCBW-ARMM and RSCGAD Chairperson Jasmin Domado.

The ARMM GAD Code is envisioned to be the regional translation of the Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta for Women that was recently passed and signed into law by President Gloria Arroyo.

Like the Magna Carta for Women, the Code affirms the role of women in nation building and ensures the substantive equality of women and men, young and old.

Moreover, it also promotes empowerment of women and pursues equal opportunities for women and men, boys and girls, ensures equal access to resources and to development results and outcomes in the region.

In his message read by Lanao del Sur 1st District Assemblyman Ziahur Rahman Adiong during the conference on the Magna Carta for Women, ARMM acting regional governor Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong said that “the current developments that takes place before us with respect to women are truly inspiring”.

“Women of today have remarkably conquered many frontiers on modern enlightenment and empowerment. Indeed, enlightenment and empowerment are inseparable from each other as there could be no empowerment in the absence of enlightenment,” added Adiong.

Meanwhile, a final review and consultation with the Muslim Religious Leaders (MRLs) is scheduled sometime next month to comprise and conform to their official position on the contentious provisions of the ARMM GAD Code.

The final draft of the ARMM GAD Code will be submitted to the ARMM Regional Legislative Assembly for enactment into law.

Maguindanao 1st District Assemblyman Abdulradzak Tomawis will sponsor the Code and Speaker Reggie Sahali-Generale as co-sponsor.

The GAD Code consultation was spearheaded by the Regional Commission on Bangsamoro Women in line with the celebration of the National Women’s Month in coordination with the United Nations Population Fund, Commission on Population XII and Regional Planning and Development Office.

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