“As a woman, indigenous person (IP), and an internally displaced person (IDP), I felt a renewed sense of hope when I heard that the BARMM IDP Law was finally signed by the Chief Minister.”
IDP protection champion Beatriz Yap was busy with advocacy work and far from her hometown of South Upi in Maguindanao when the news came in November 2024: At long last, Bangsamoro Region Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim has signed into law the proposed measure that seeks to provide protection to those forced to flee their homes amidst conflict, violence and disasters triggered by natural hazards.
Since 2012, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been advocating for the passage of this law as part of its solutions-oriented and sustainable programming and promotion of durable solutions for IDPs. An IP Mandatory Representative of South Upi, Beatriz is among the supportive local officials who actively popularize the importance of a rights-based legislation for IDPs. While waiting for the passage of the law, UNHCR promoted the development of local ordinances for IDPs and their host communities and South Upi became the first municipality in BARMM to issue a municipal-level IDP ordinance. This feat became the inspiration for the rest of 15 other municipalities in BARMM who also issued the same to better protect and uphold the rights of IDPs.
“This law has been 10 years in the making and UNHCR remains hopeful that with the help of our champions, our collective efforts to promote IDP protection in all levels of governance in the Philippines will soon come to fruition,” said UNHCR Philippines Head of National Office Maria Ermina Valdeavilla-Gallardo.
Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 62 or the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Act of 2024 came into effect on 04 December 2024. The law is the first of its kind in the country and in Southeast Asia and provides measures that protect and promote IDP rights before, during, and after displacement. At the national level, while the House version was passed in 2023, there are several bills that have undergone initial deliberation in the Philippine Senate.
“The enactment of the BARMM IDP Law is proof that the government recognizes the rights of IDPs. I am optimistic that this will inspire hope, justice, and support for those of us who have been forced to leave our homes behind for the safety of our families,” she emphasized.
Under the ongoing Joint Programme for the Sustainable and Empowering Displacement Solutions for Peace (SEEDS for Peace), UNHCR has been working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to provide strategic and technical support for the Bangsamoro peace process, with a primary focus on the promotion and development of legislation and policies that would strengthen the protection environment of IDPs in BARMM and in the entire country.
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ABOUT UNHCR
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. We deliver life-saving assistance, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place called home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.
In the Philippines, UNHCR has maintained a presence for over 40 years, working on providing durable solutions to refugees, ending and reducing statelessness, and empowering displaced families.
For more information, please contact:
Karen Cepeda
External Relations Associate
[email protected]
(02) 88172398
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