Welcome Remarks8 Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit Focal Commissioner for Women and LGBTI Persons It must once again be stressed that “women’s full and equal participation at all levels of society is a fundamental human right - and that during times of conflict, women’s participation in resolving conflict and negotiating , is especially important to ensure that women’s rights are protected, experiences are recognized, and that peace lasts.” These principles are at the heart of the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda, advocated and fought by women in the UN Security Council almost two decades ago. Today, as the Focal Commissioner for Women, I am pleased that the Commission, as the country’s National Human Rights Institution and as Gender Ombud is finally conducting a forum that focuses on the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. Indeed, this is long overdue. Almost two decades has passed since the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 in October 2000. Since then the resolution has become the focal point for galvanizing worldwide efforts to deal with the many challenges that women face in situations of conflict. The first resolution has been followed with several others all aiming to enhance women’s engagement for sustainable peace and recognizing women as ‘constructive agents of peace, security and post conflict reconstruction. Since the adoption of UNSC Resolution 1325, countries have committed to the WPS agenda and the Philippines for its part boasts as the first country in Southeast Asia to have adopted a national action plan on WPS. Currently, we are at our 3rd national action plan on WPS with its emphasis on the links of WPS with women’s human rights, anchoring the same on CEDAW General Recommendation 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations. The 4 pillars of the current WPS - Empowerment and Participation, Protection and Prevention, Promotion and Mainstreaming, and Monitoring and Evaluation are observably similar to what the Commission is doing in terms of Women’s Human Rights. As Gender Ombud, we have been conducting capacity building and advocacy campaigns with women and girls, in cases of displacement and armed conflict, including in massive displacement after the Zamboanga and Marawi crisis, we have conducted monitoring and human rights investigations. However, despite of these, and despite the advance of the WPS agenda in 8 Delivered for the start of the afternoon session. Page 31​ of 62