Mr. President,

I thank Uruguay for convening this Arria-formula meeting on this important subject.

I also thank the briefers for their insightful presentations.

In the Philippines' experience, implementing the Security Council resolutions on

Women, Peace and Security and UN CEDAW provisions, including General

Recommendation 30, are mutually reinforcing. Indeed, synergies and complementarities

should be strengthened in an efficient way, without creating unnecessary duplication,

particularly in reporting mechanisms.

The Philippines was the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to produce a

National Action Plan, or NAP, on Women, Peace and Security, which was launched in

2009. That same year, the Philippines also enacted Republic Act 9710, also known as

the Magna Carta of Women, which paved the way for Government to launch its gender

mainstreaming strategy across all government agencies. The Magna Carta translates

and integrates the provisions of the UN CEDAW and effectively institutionalized the NAP

into existing Philippine laws and national work plans.

Since 2009, a number of initiatives have been launched to implement the NAP and

the Magna Carta, in alignment with the provisions of the CEDAW. Among the most

important are:

First, the provision of a Gender and Development, or GAD, budget, which provides

funds for the national and local government agencies to implement gender mainstreaming

programs.

Second, the launch in 2013 of the Women's Empowerment, Development and

Gender Equality Plan, or Women's EDGE, which sought to address the vulnerability of

women and girls to gender-based violence in conflict-affected areas.

Third, the creation by the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and

Development of Women Friendly Spaces intended to provide safe and private evacuation

spaces for women and girls in disaster-affected areas; and skills training and cash-forwork

programs to address livelihood needs of women in conflict-affected areas. These

arrangements have encouraged women volunteers to become gender and peace

advocates with the tools to access local protective mechanisms such as the Violence

Against Women, or VAW, desks, and the committees against trafficking. Currently, there

are 10 such sites, all located in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.

Fourth, the institution in the Philippine Armed Forces of a stand-alone office that

handles gender-related concerns.

Finally, under the Philippines' agenda of "Building a Culture of Peace and Conflict

Sensitivity" the formulation of the Government's Peace and Development Roadmap in

the conflict-affected areas will ensure inclusive participation by instituting a Women Peace

Table so that women could directly contribute and participate in the peace process. The

Peace Agreement with the Bangsamoro signed in March 2014 was the first of its kind in

the world to be signed by a woman as Chief Negotiator with the strong participation of

women in the normalization process as chairs of 3 of the 4 peace. Committees.

Similar national programs should be welcomed and the Philippines strongly

supports global efforts in advancing gender empowerment under relevant UNSC

resolutions and in UN CEDAW.

I thank you, Mr. President.