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	First All-Women Human Rights structure established in Mindanao an article by Nonviolent Peaceforce The Philippine Muslim Women Council (PMWC) is a confederation of 39 Muslim non-governmental women’s organisations in the Philippines. The PMWC is based in Marawi City, on the island of Mindanao, Philippines, a community historically prone to human rights violations resulting from various types of armed conflict that have affected women, men and children alike; however, any public forum for women, specifically, to voice their concerns and share possible solutions to these problems was lacking until 2011. Launching of Community based Human Rights Monitors, Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur click on photo to enlarge Nonviolent Peaceforce, with PMWC, took a first step towards filling this gap by organising an Open Space Forum where local women could freely discuss amongst themselves, things that affect their safety and that of their families as well as start thinking about ways to address those issues. It was through this forum that it was recognised the community would benefit from establishing the first-ever all female Community Based Human Rights (CBHR) monitoring structure in the provinces of either Lanao del Norte or Lanao del Sur. Created through the PMWC, with the support of Nonviolent Peaceforce, this newly formed CBHR structure targets the 10 most vulnerable barangays that were identified in the Open Space Forum. After the first 35 all-female monitors were selected and trained to operate the structure, their confidence and newly acquired knowledge on human rights, documentation and related topics was boosted through various trainings and formalised through the distribution of official uniforms and identification cards bearing the emblem of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights. An opening ceremony attended by various members of the community, the Government of the Philippines and the Armed Forces of the Philippines further strengthened the validation of the structure and enhanced community acceptance. Since the launching of the structure in 2011, their successes in monitoring, documenting and responding to human rights violations in Marawi has proven to be very effective and their willingness to share their knowledge and experiences has reached out to neighbouring communities in the provinces. Nonviolent Peaceforce continues to assist PMWC with further enhancing the capacity for this CBHR structure to grow, and acknowledges its unique and considerable contributions to safety and security in Marawi City.		DISCUSSION Question(s) related to this article: Is there a new international generation of human rights activism?, * * * * * Latest reader comment: CPNN has been enriched over the years by the young human rights activists who take part in the Annual UNESCO International Leadership Forum.  This is truly the hope for our future!
This report was posted on April 1, 2012.