Full Project Title: Empowering Marawi Seige Women Survivors Against Gender-based Violence It has been 4 years passed since the 2017 Marawi Seige. Thousandsof Marawi IDPs remain in temporary shelter communities and othersare living elsewhere in tightlypacked communities and deprivedconditions like the project’s rightsholder group. Presently, they havebeen challenged again in the continuing onslaught of the Covid-19pandemic. With this current situation, the rightsholder group becomesmore vulnerable to any violence and abuses in the family and incommunity. This project is a continuing initiative from our previousVoice project. Generally, it aims to increase the protection of therightsholder group from any forms of violence and abuses. To achievethe maingoal, the project will continue to enhance the awareness andknowledge of the rightsholder on women’s rights. Capacity buildingactivities on various some topics will be provided. Because of thepandemic, the project will provide awareness on stress managementand self-care to boost the well-beingof the rightsholder group amidstof the crises. Livelihood activities are also included to improve theireconomic capacity that wouldreinforce their participation to theproject. In past project, we realized the importance for localorganizations to lead collectively the advocacy against GBV. Thisproject will support to strengthen the two Marawi womenorganizations. Capacity building activities will be provided to improvetheir skills on leadership and organizational management. The projectwill also facilitate in advancing theprograms and activities of thewomen organizations. This project will also work to increase theengagement and support of family members and communitystakeholders to the project. There will be valueformation sessions ongender-sensitive family relationship along with other family members.Dialogues with other community members, religious leaders and localauthorities will be strengthened to come-up joint resolutions andcollective actions with the rightsholder group.

Community led protection mechanisms protecting women survivors of gender-based violence  

Gender based violence (GBV) happens everywhere in the society and is exacerbated especially during complex emergencies like armed conflicts. The women of Marawi crisis are not exempt in any way and this was largely as a result of forceful displacement of about 98% of the population as a result of the armed confrontation between government forces and pro ISIS militants. These women are further exposed to the dangers of GBV by the risky living condition in evacuation centers and host communities. Additionally, as reported in Protection Cluster Meetings, issues including GBV are inadequately attended to given the huge number of IDPs that need help. Declaration of Martial Law in Mindano restricted mobility of men who are identified as common perpetrators of domestic violence. This situation is worse in the Maranao tribe which is known to be very traditional and conservative toward its women. 

As a result, Mindanao Tripeople Women Resource Center set up Empowering Women Survivors Against GBV project to strengthen community managed protection mechanisms involving different stakeholders embedded in the existing evacuation camp management system, local policing and humanitarian governance, to protect the women survivors of the Marawi Crisis, by empowering women IDPs to be ambassadors of change. This is being achieved through community orientations, study lessons on laws on women’s rights, workshops on IDPs women agenda and protection mechanism against GBV, dialogues and exhibit on these agenda and mechanism, and a learning conference.  

The project has reached out to more than 200 Marawi women. These women overcame their traumatic experiences and day to day struggles to bounce back from the impact of the Marawi Siege to actively participate and be involved in every activity. The women were able to define and formulate local protection mechanisms and measures against GBV, suitable to their context, while gaining support and engagement from religious leaders, local government units and other stakeholders.  

Specifically, the women reported the following significant changes. First, there was improved confidence to socialize and interact with other women and are now actively engaged in discussions about GBV. Secondly, there has been an improvement in the relationship among Marawi women and between Marawi IDPs and host community members. Lastly, the community has strengthened its communication and social cohesion.  There has also been increased awareness on GBV and women rights among the right holders leading to their active participation in the project activities.  

One of the members shared as follows, “The Voice’s linking and learning program is also significant to program implementation. Exchange of knowledge and experiences with other Voice grantees provided us some new knowledge on various disciplines of community development that are helpful for our work and advocacy. There are realizations and urgent needs to reinforce further our initiatives to our partner Marawi women. We are hoping that Voice will continue to support on advocacy for the protection of the Marawi women against gender-based violence.”