Lanao del Sur launches localized WPS plan, boosts women’s role in peace and justice agenda

MARAWI CITY  (December 9)  — Women’s leadership in peace and security in Lanao del Sur is set to gain stronger, more institutional backing with the launch of the province’s localized Provincial Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security (PAP-WPS) 2024–2029, a move hailed as a milestone for gender-responsive peacebuilding in the Bangsamoro region.

The plan, developed by the provincial government in partnership with the Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC), translates the regional commitments under the Bangsamoro Regional Action Plan on WPS (RAP-WPS) into actionable, community-grounded strategies that respond to Lanao del Sur’s socio-cultural realities.

BWC Chairperson Bainon G. Karon commended the province for what she described as a “groundbreaking initiative,” stressing that women’s participation is not symbolic but central to building lasting peace and rebuilding communities affected by conflict.

The PAP-WPS outlines key priorities:
• expanding women’s participation in peacebuilding and decision-making,
• preventing and responding to violence against women and girls,
• improving access to justice and livelihoods, and
• institutionalizing WPS and Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) in local governance systems.

By localizing the WPS agenda, the province seeks to close the long-standing gap between policy and everyday realities faced by women and girls in conflict-affected areas.

“Lanao del Sur sets an important precedent for the region, advancing an inclusive peace and security framework that acknowledges women’s essential contributions to sustainable development,” the provincial government said.

During the launch, representatives from 39 municipalities and one component city also began crafting their own Municipal Action Plans on WPS, guided by BWC provincial officials and WPS experts — a critical step toward ensuring that the WPS agenda is implemented down to the community level.

More than 200 stakeholders, including BARMM ministries, local government offices, civil society groups, and community leaders, participated in the activity, signaling broad support for strengthening gender-responsive peacebuilding.

Anchored on the Bangsamoro Government’s Enhanced 12-Point Priority Agenda, the RAP-WPS serves as the region’s blueprint for multi-level, multi-stakeholder advancement of the WPS agenda — contributing to wider peace, rights protection, and development goals in the Bangsamoro.