MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, March 4 (PIA)
- The Regional Commission on Bangsamoro Women-Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (RCBW-ARMM) conducts today a forum on Gender and
Election Related Violence (ERV) to help encourage greater participation
of women in the upcoming presidential elections and bring down
election-related violence in the region.
Sittie Jehanne Mutin,
chairperson of the RCBW-ARMM, said the forum aims to discuss the
connection between gender and ERV cases in the country, and gather
recommendations and best practices to combat ERVs, especially against
women.”
“Women’s political participation remains low in the Philippines,” Mutin said.
The RCBW-ARMM said only 19 percent of the candidates in the national, local and regional level in the upcoming May 2016 elections are women. In the 2013 mid-term elections, 18 percent of the candidates who got elected to office are women.
"Adding to the challenges on the stereotypes on the roles of women and lack of encouragement and support for women's active participation in election, is the vulnerability of women as easy targets for ERVs," Mutin added.
ERVs refer to "acts or threats of coercion, intimidation or physical harm committed to affect an electoral process." The Philippine National Police (PNP) considers ERVs as violent incidents that happened within the election period.
According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), a total of 391 incidents of ERVs were recorded in the 2010 national elections, and 196 in 2013 midterm elections.
Participants of
the forum include stakeholders from the House of Representatives
Committee on Women and Gender Equality, Directors of the PNP and Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP), representatives from political parties,
national, regional and local candidates, the academe, women and
religious groups.
The RCBW-ARMM also enlisted the commitment and support of participants in promoting better political participation for women and in ensuring a peaceful and violence-free election in the ARMM. (BPI/APB/PIA-10)
“Women’s political participation remains low in the Philippines,” Mutin said.
The RCBW-ARMM said only 19 percent of the candidates in the national, local and regional level in the upcoming May 2016 elections are women. In the 2013 mid-term elections, 18 percent of the candidates who got elected to office are women.
"Adding to the challenges on the stereotypes on the roles of women and lack of encouragement and support for women's active participation in election, is the vulnerability of women as easy targets for ERVs," Mutin added.
ERVs refer to "acts or threats of coercion, intimidation or physical harm committed to affect an electoral process." The Philippine National Police (PNP) considers ERVs as violent incidents that happened within the election period.
According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), a total of 391 incidents of ERVs were recorded in the 2010 national elections, and 196 in 2013 midterm elections.
The RCBW-ARMM also enlisted the commitment and support of participants in promoting better political participation for women and in ensuring a peaceful and violence-free election in the ARMM. (BPI/APB/PIA-10)
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