INNABUYOG
Alliance of indigenous women's organizations in the Cordillera, Philippines
Innabuyog is a Kalinga term referring to the traditional practice of helping each other through collective, cooperative work and exchange labor without monetary compensation.
WE are a regional alliance of women's organizations in the Cordillera region, Philippines. Our membership mostly comes from the ranks of grassroots women mainly indigenous peasant women who comprise the majority women population in the Cordillera region. Our other membership are women workers, semi-workers and women from urban poor communities, youth and students, professionals, former overseas workers and lesbians.
INNABUYOG was established in March 8, 1990 with 24 founding organizations of indigenous peasant women, workers, youth and students. It has now grown with 130 member organizations all over the region and continues to evolve as a mass movement of indigenous and democratic groups of women in the Cordillera region.
INNABUYOG was formed:
to give a collective voice for the marginalized yet struggling women of the Cordillera on the issues of land, rights and self-determination in relation to dominant socio-economic structures and policies in the country, globalization and militarization
to bring their various efforts together towards a common perspective of liberating women from prevailing concepts of feudal-patriarchy which had tied women to the homes and to traditional roles thus limiting the women's more active participation to the development of their communities
to collectively act against forces which perpetrate violence against indigenous women and the violation of human rights of women and children,
to be part in asserting the Cordillera indigenous peoples' right to self-determination, assert indigenous peasant women's right to land and resources to ensure economic prosperity and where their right to land and resources becomes the basis of enjoying economic prosperity and food security of their communities
to popularize and assert good practices and experiences of indigeneous women in the Cordillera on land, life, rights and self-determination issues to other indigneosu women's organizations, women's groups and peoples' movements.
INNABUYOG believes that women in the Cordillera are a potential force for development in their communities and in the Cordillera region if educated of their conditions as women, organized and mobilized. The prevalent feudal-patriarchal attitudes towards women in the Cordillera prevent women from more active participation and role in the socio-economic and political life of their communities and of the region. Through a process of collective action that INNABUYOG reclaims the indigenous women's historical and significant role in defending ancestral land, life, resources and dignity.
OUR PROGRAMS
Women's Rights Campaign
a long runing campaign of Innabuyog to address numerous issue faced by indigenous women in the Cordillera for the assertion of Land, Food and Rights
to document and conduct studies on displacement of indigenous peasant women from their land and food resources because of globalization policies and militarization
documents and conducts studies on the intensification of hunger and poverty among women in the Cordillera because of lopsided economic policies of their national government favorable to global economic sructures and corporations
defining concrete expressions of violence agains indigenous women in the Cordillera and relating it to the violation of the collective rights of indigenous peoples, militarizations and state violence
- conducting collective actions of women to highlight the violation fo their rights, bringing these concerns to various arenas of engagement, generating solidarity and concrete gains and support for the women's movement in the Cordillera
Women's Participation in Political Processes
Building the capacity of indigenous women to engage in various political processes in different levels and in various structures such as indigenous socio-political structures, government and mainstream structures, and in in their own alternative organizations
Holding of leadership trainings/seminars
- Skills development in organizing, education, advocacy, research, networking, management of resources and campaigns
- Attendance in activities where women leaders develop and exercize their analytical and engagement skills in order to enhance their confidence
Solidarity Work
Sharing of INNABUYOG'S experiences, analysis and expertize to other women's organizations in differenct levels (local, national, international) espcially on indigenous women and lesbian concerns
Linkage with women's groups and movements especially those working on rural and indigenous women and which are challenging and posing alternatives to neo-liberal globalization.
CONDUCT OF WORK
INNABUYOG integrates organizing, research, education and training, mass campaigns and mobilizations in building the women's movement in the Cordillera
We come out with a quarterly publication, the Innabuyog Newsletter, a news and analysis of current issues, we contribute to other publications, web sites and the media
We coordinate closely with other sectoral organizations and wider indigenous peoples groups
Key Results and Impact of INNABUYOG
Development of the indigenous women's movement in the Cordillera and key role in the establishment and dynamism of BAI, a national network of indigenous women's organizations in the Philippines
Development of leaders in various levels-local, provincial and regional who can also take national and international advocacy work
Projection of indigenous women's issues in various levels-particular situation of indigenous women and analysis, particular expression of VAW on indigenous women and children
Development of support groups and advocates networks in the local, regional, national and international levels
Development of education and training materials
Delaying or stopping of development aggression projects and militarization
Success stories on handling of legal cases re Violence Against Women
NETWORKS:
GABRIELA Philippines, alliance of women in the Philippines
BAI, national network of indigenous women's organizations in the Philippines
Asia-Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), particularly convenor of the Task Force Women and Environment (TF WEN)
Asian Indigenous Women's Network (AIWN)
- International Network on Women and Mining (RIMM)
- Asia Rural Women's Coalition (ARWC)
- Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA)
Contact Address:
#16 Loro St., Dizon Subdivision, Baguio City 2600, Philippines
Email: innabuyog@gmail.com
