Key Lecture: Women, Peace, and Security and the Role of the CHR Prof. Ma. Lourdes Veneracion-Rallonza Director, Asia Pacific Centre for Responsibility to Protect- Philippine Office; Associate Professor, Ateneo De Manila Introduction I have actually retired as a consultant, so I haven’t been doing consultancy work and speaking engagements; I have something to do in terms of regional work, ASEAN and the Pacific. I have declined several invites for speaking engagements so this is actually the first time I will be lecturing this year. This is the first time there is a discussion on WPS for the CHR, so it is important to understand and gauge the commitment the CHR has in Metro Manila and the regions; I wish we have more. But [Twyla] said baby steps. I’m also glad Macel [Aguilar] is here; I have worked with her before in OPAPP. Women, Peace, and Security and the Role of the CHR We came up with a report7 in 2013, it was a CSO report that came out regarding the implementation of WPS in the aspect of programs and services, policy, and women's participation. I was the one tasked to do the Programs and services. I encountered this quote in fieldwork: “Kung mahimbat ka man, not because you are a woman but because you are a rebel. Hindi yung woman ang nasa ulo ng humuhuli sa iyo kungdi yung rebel ka… kung inarestar ka man tapos nagkagusotgusot or nahawakan ang mga suso mo, walang intensyon so hindi ka magrereport kasi nga ang intensyon talaga ay para ka lang ma-detena o ma-arrest ka nila —- walang intensyon na ganunin ka nila kasi babae ka. Kami naman, naghihintay ng mga reklamo — e ni-review namin ang lahat ng record namin e wala talagang VAWC. ” - Field Work, May 2013 7 Implementing the Philippine National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820: A Civil Society Monitoring Report (March 2010-January 2013) Page 10​ of 62