Methodology for the Women and LGBTI cluster For the women and the LGBTI cluster, the three-day monitoring and interviews in the evacuation centers focused on the lived experiences of displaced women and LGBTIs. Guided by the concept note titled “Locating the lived experiences of displaced women, children and LGBTI,” the group made use of the interview tool in surfacing experiences of the displaced women and LGBTIs, more importantly, while the interview tool was used as a guide, the women were also allowed to tell more of their stories, their personal experiences as displaced women, grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters or girls. The questionnaire provided a chance for the interviewees to gain a background of the interviewee and at the same time allowed her to recount the most striking experienced she’s had as a displaced woman, her needs, and the message she has for the government. In presenting the stories of the women, this report will divide the discussions in to two, the first a discussion of the women’s experiences when they were fleeing the conflict zone. This section pictures of the plight of women from the conflict zone, but focusing more particularly on her distinct experiences because of her gender. The second section discusses the women’s needs during displacement and while in evacuation centers. This include the services as provided, the gaps and their further needs, as well as long terms issues that the women want the government to address. From women’s unique perspective, the report aims to provide policy recommendations coming from and as expressed by the women themselves. Women’s and LGBTIs lived experiences in fleeing the conflict zone Women and LGBTI experiences in fleeing the conflict zone highlight the following themes: their general fear for their security and safety, their fear for the safety of their children who may or may not have been with them when the firefight began, the burden of fleeing the conflict area while pregnant or with children in tow, and their worry for the properties they hastily left behind. During the conduct of the interview, the group was able to gather different stories of flight from the conflict areas and of the lived experiences and needs of women and LGBTIs in evacuation centers. General fear for security and safety The accounts of the women interviewed in different evacuation centers showed common stories of being forced to flee from their places of residence in Marawi or in nearby areas because of the continuing firefight and alleged members of Maute group. They shared accounts of having to leave their houses at very short notice, within the five-hour deadline by the armed groups, and some even when the armed conflict has been on-going for several days. Some of the women walked for hours towards safety, some had to run for their lives dragging and carrying little children along Mapandi Bridge. Other women who came from more remote areas affected by the conflict spoke of long travel times and tackling different road conditions towards the safety of evacuation centers. One of the striking stories from the interviews expressing the fear that women felt during flight are the following: Since our house is nearby the military camp, I went there with my children. They helped me find my husband the following day. For three days and three nights that we stayed there, it was really difficult…“Ni hindi mo mapikit ang mata mo; hindi ka magugutom kasi nga ang iniisip mo na lang na yumayanig ‘yung lupa kapag nagbomba. ‘Yun na lang ang laman ng isip at tiyan mo”. (You cannot even close your eyes; you will feel hunger because all you could think is the shaking of the ground when there is bombing. It is all that is in your mind and stomach). Fear is so real. You don’t know if you will still survive. . [Jocelyn Lagata] Together with our neighbours I ran around half kilometres, despite my near delivery, to escape them [Jeana Marino] 44