LocationsOPAPRU, UK, UNDP boost partnership to sustain the gains of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in PH
June 23, 2025
PASIG CITY – The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), through its Women, Peace and Security Center of Excellence (WPS CoE) continues to deepen its partnership with the British Embassy Manila and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to institutionalize and mainstream the WPS agenda across various peacebuilding programs and other development initiatives across the country.
In his remarks during a meeting between OPAPRU, the British Embassy Manila, and UNDP, Mr. Edwine Carrié, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, lauded OPAPRU's leadership in pushing forward the comprehensive Philippine peace process.
“OPAPRU has been shepherding the peace process in a very capable manner and we are very grateful for this partnership opportunity. We are willing and eager to support the peace process,” Carrié said.
He noted that the OPAPRU, through the WPS Center of Excellence, serves as a platform in sharing and understanding the experiences and lived realities of women in the Bangsamoro and beyond.
“This Center of Excellence will be an opportunity to systematize knowledge sharing, policy alignments, program developments in furtherance of the women, peace and security agenda,” Carrié pointed out.
OPAPRU Peace Sustainability Cluster Head and WPS CoE Executive Director Susana Marcaida, who represented the Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr., underscored the importance of increased collaboration among stakeholders in the localization of the WPS agenda.
According to Marcaida, the partnership between government agencies and civil society organizations reinforces existing mechanisms. In addition, the strength of the localization efforts of the NAPWPS relies on the partnership with the Regional Development Councils and their Regional Gender and Development Committees, which is crucial in making WPS initiatives more responsive to the particular needs of women in each province or region.
“We move forward to act on our shared commitment to the lives and aspirations of all women who have carried communities through conflict and continue to shape the foundations of peace,” Marcaida said. “Our gathering today reflects the importance of partnership, of building bridges between institutions, governments, and communities so that no woman’s voice goes unheard,” she added.
In his message of support, British Embassy Political Counsellor Andrew Bowes emphasized that beyond numbers, change comes from sustained efforts. “This Center is not just a space for training and research, but is a bold statement that the Philippines and its partners, including the United Kingdom (UK), will not step back from the fight for women’s inclusion, protection, and representation,” Bowes said.
The project, “Sustaining the Gains of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the Philippines: Institutionalizing Platforms for Women’s Meaningful Participation and Leadership in Peace and Security”, funded by the government of the United Kingdom through its Embassy in Manila, in partnership with OPAPRU and UNDP, seeks to sustain the gains of the WPS Agenda in the Philippines through institutional strengthening programs and enhanced initiatives geared towards strengthening the WPS agenda across national and regional platforms and policies. ###
Related
content
content
