Strengthening capacities on conflict induced forced displacement in Mindanao
Project description
Project/programme title: Strengthening capacities on conflict induced forced displacement in Mindanao
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Philippines
Lead executing agency: Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP)
Overall term: 2017 to 2020
Context
Violent political and social conflicts plague the Philippines. In the Caraga region in the east of the Philippine island of Mindanao, the focus is on the armed conflict between the Philippine Government and the Communist movement. Conflicts over the use of resources and land also play an important role. One major consequence of these conflicts is forced displacement. Displacement in this region is unusual in that it is repeated, temporary and violent. It leads to further marginalisation and impoverishment, especially of indigenous population groups and women, who already have less access to state services. This type of forced displacement undermines the resilience of communities of origin and host communities. To date, state actors have focused very heavily on providing humanitarian care to internally displaced persons in host communities. However, the long-term impact on internally displaced persons and host communities of repeated, temporary, forced displacement due to violence has not been sufficiently taken into account.
Objective
The approach used by state actors to deal with forced displacement due to violence in communities of origin and host communities in Caraga has improved at regional and local level.
Approach
The project supports the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and other partners that address the impact of forced displacement at regional and local level due to violence. It does this by means of four closely interlinked fields of activity. Dialogue measures in the communities of origin and host communities enable affected individuals as well as state and non-state actors to discuss, and thereby highlight, the causes and effects of repeated, temporary, forced displacement due to violence. In addition, measures for tackling displacement of this kind are to be enshrined in local peace agendas and development plans. The project also promotes exchange between official state bodies that are addressing the issue in a variety of ways. The aim is to develop a coherent approach to dealing with forced displacement in violent contexts. Small-scale measures aimed at affected individuals in communities of origin and host communities focus above all on the specific needs of particularly disadvantaged groups. At the same time, these measures are used to test approaches designed to improve their lives of the people affected.