The Philippines will encourage its international development partners to invest more in initiatives that would advance women’s participation and role in peace and security, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Wednesday.

Pangandaman lamented that most projects from the country’s development partners do not include women, peace, and security initiatives.

“If there is one, it’s not that big. The pie doesn’t show a big chunk of the budget on women, peace, and security. So, we would like to push that forward,” she said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

“More than anything else, we need the cooperation of the private sector, of the international community to help us fund these projects and programs. Hopefully, we would like to get a big chunk of the pie of those ODAs (Official Development Assistance) that we get in other countries.”

Pangandaman said the Philippines, as the host of the International Conference on Women, Peace and Security (ICWPS), aims to bring together top leaders, practitioners, and advocates from around the world to create strategies and actionable commitments that prioritize women’s participation in the peace process.

She noted that a study showed that agreements with women participation “tend to last longer.”

“In conflict-affected areas, women have emerged as indispensable architects of peace, demonstrating that we are not just participants in the peace process,” Pangandaman said. “The essence of the WPS (women, peace and security) conference is not just about dialogues. It is a global call to reaffirm our commitment to the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice.”

Pangandaman is set to lead the discussions on the impact of financing strategies on the WPS initiatives during the ICWPS.

She said the Philippines would take the chance to elevate women’s voices and foster partnerships among governments, civil societies, and international organizations to promote gender security and sustainable development.

“Indeed, the Philippines is a pioneer in reshaping this building and conflict resolution… Women’s voices are at the forefront. Our National Action Plan on WPS (NAPWPS) is a bold declaration of our unwavering commitment to gender equality and women’s crucial role in shaping our future,” Pangandaman said.

The Philippines, through a collaborative effort between government and civil society, became the first Asian country to launch in 2010 a National Action Plan implementing United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820.

In 2023, the Philippines allotted PHP173.2 million to implement the NAPWPS.

The ICWPS, to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Oct. 28-30, will carry the theme “Forging Collaboration and Convergence for Advancing Women, Peace and Security.”

The conference intends to highlight the power of inter-regional networks for exchanging experiences and best practices and overcoming challenges to meaningful and substantive participation, representation, and leadership of women in peacebuilding. (PNA)