DFA's Manalo calls for urgent global action to protect women in conflict zones

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Monday sought urgent global action to protect women in conflict zones and to fast-track existing initiatives to further strengthen their roles in all phases of peace and security as he warned that gains in advancing women’s rights are now “at risk of being undone.”

Manalo, at the opening of the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security in Manila, echoed United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ concerns that progress in women’s rights hangs in the balance around the world due to global conflict as he lamented their minimal role in peace process.

“Women and girls live in harrowing conditions in conflict zones. They are disproportionately affected by gender-based violence, restricted from accessing critical services, and often denied participation in decision-making processes,” Manalo said.

In 2023, Manalo said 50% more cases of conflict-related sexual violence were reported, while the number of women and girls affected by grave violations in armed conflicts increased by 35%.

“Even as I speak, conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan add a greater sense of urgency to implementing the Women Peace and Security agenda effectively,” he said.

“These figures remind us this global agenda is profoundly relevant, but it is under stress. These figures call for reinforcing this agenda and making it a reality on the ground, in times of peace and conflict and in the transition towards peace.”

Manalo said the Philippines decided to step up and host the conference to contribute to international stocktaking in shaping a new consensus on the implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda ahead of the 25th anniversary in 2025 of a UN Security Council resolution demanding equal rights for women to engage in peace negotiations.

He said more needs to be done to fully implement UNSC resolution 1325 which was adopted in October 31, 2000.

Data collected by UN Women in 2023 shows that, on average, women comprised only 9.6% of negotiators, 13.7% of mediators, and 26.6% of signatories to peace agreements globally, with Manalo calling these figures “far too low.”

“We must uphold women as agents of change and leaders in shaping conditions for lasting peace. Their under-representation in peace processes does not do justice to this,” he said.

“We must do more. It is possible. And necessary, in light of evidence that when women are involved in peace processes, agreements are more likely to be reached, implemented, and sustained.”

Beyond conflict, Manalo also said that women around the globe face threats from climate change, economic vulnerability, and rising militarization.

“That there is a significant relationship between climate security and gender equality is more apparent. Environmental changes often impact women in conflict-regions more severely,” he noted.

The Philippines, he said, is deeply aware of these realities, having seen how disasters can heighten vulnerabilities for women, especially most recently with the typhoons that hit the Philippines.

In many conflict zones, Manalo said women bear a larger share of the burden when it comes to food insecurity, displacement, and resource shortages.

“Yet, their resilience and leadership are critical in overcoming these challenges. We must shift approaches, seeing women – not as victims to assist -- but as agents of resilience, sources of rooted and robust solutions, and stewards of lasting peace,” he said.

More than 700 participants including Ministers, Vice Ministers and other senior officials from over 80 countries and 130 organizations have gathered in Manila for the three-day conference to share best practices, renew commitments, and identify actionable steps in advancing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda worldwide.

They will issue a communique, called the Pasay Declaration, that will outline proposals for sustainable, gender-responsive peace frameworks, and practical strategies that promote the role of women in peace and security.  — RSJ, GMA Integrated News