MSU Launches EU-Funded Initiative Focused on Women & Security in Philippines

• MSU partners with EU on a two-year program aimed at upgrading its current Diploma on Women, Peace, and Security
• The project focuses on embedding gender and peace into regional governance
• The event underscores women’s contribution towards conflict resolution and peace-building

In a strategic move to strengthen gender focused education, a two-year European Union-funded initiative has been launched to enhance the existing Diploma on Women, Peace, and Security (DWPS) at Mindanao State University (MSU).

In a unified effort to scale impact across academic and policy sectors, the Philippine Centre for Islam and Democracy (PCID), in partnership with MSU, the University of the Philippines Centre for Women Studies Foundation, Inc. and UP Diliman’s Department of Women and Development Studies, officially launched the project on April 14.

Framing its mission focussing on embedding gender and peace into regional governance, the project carries the title Institutionalizing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Mindanao. Hosted at the Commission on Higher Education auditorium in Quezon City, the event brought together key stakeholders from academia, government, and the diplomatic corps.

Underscoring the importance of youth engagement in peace initiatives, EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro highlighted the resilience and resourcefulness of Filipino youth, stating that empowering them with knowledge and skills in women’s roles moves the Women, Peace and Security agenda from policy discussions into real-world community impact.

PCID President Amina Rasul-Bernardo and European Union Ambassador Massimo Santoro delivered the opening remarks at the Quezon City event. “The project aims to enhance the Diploma on Women, Peace and Security, currently being offered in MSU, by strengthening its academic framework, capacitating the faculty, and promoting wider outreach by offering training to communities,” said PCID.

Framed with the broader context of global gender security commitments, the launch aligns with the 25^th year of UNSC Resolution 1325, a foundational declaration underscoring women’s contribution to conflict resolution and peace-building.