Women’s call to arms

We are women from all walks of life and from various regions of the country. We condemn attacks on human rights, and the deployment of state power to curtail basic freedoms and suppress calls for social justice.

We speak on behalf of women who stand to suffer the most from acts of violence by the state on the people. We particularly speak for our Moro and Christian sisters in Marawi whose lives were devastated by the destructive war launched by the Duterte administration.

We likewise rise for our indigenous women, especially the lumad, who are experiencing the worst forms of abuse in the hands of the state, and whose children are being deprived of their fundamental right to education.

We express grave concern over the continuing assault on human rights and civil liberties in the Philippines. We oppose the unconstitutional and anti-democratic extension of martial law.

We are likewise alarmed by the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao that we know paves the way for warrantless arrests. We believe that this lays the groundwork for a declaration of martial law in the entire country and we call on all concerned Filipino women to join us in our fight to resist the evil descending upon our beloved Inang Bayan.

VOICES OF WOMEN FOR JUSTICE & PEACE NETWORK, DIANDRA DITA MACARAMBON, SAMIRA GUTOC-TOMAWIS, SORHALIA LATIP-YUSOPH, GERT RANJO-LIBANG (VOICES OF WOMEN FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE), FAYE CURA (BABAI WOMEN’S NETWORK), FEMINISTA PH, FILIPINA PEN & INK, GABRIELA NETWORK OF PROFESSIONALS, GANTALA PRESS INC., GOOD FOOD COMMUNITY, JOVENES FOUNDATION, ME & MY VEG MOUTH