Locating young women in a plethora of issues: reflections from the tenth Young Women Leader's Conference 2010

Abstract

The present article assesses the outcome of the tenth Young Women Leaders Conference, held on 27 September 2010 at Miriam College, Philippines. ‘As we see it: young women redefining active citizenship’ was the theme of the conference. Its main objective was to inquire into the connections between thinking on citizenship, and Filipino young women's activism, where in the contemporary Philippine socio-political milieu, issues of ‘belonging’ and ‘exclusion’ are still being negotiated. The workshops revealed that young women continue to face traditional structural barriers that inhibit them from actively participating in political debate and public life. However, they have created new spaces for asserting varied (re)conceptions of citizenship and gender justice, often mediated by rapidly changing information and communication technologies. Likewise, they are increasingly on the move: the face of labour migration in the Philippines is that of a young woman. How then might migration change our understandings of citizenship? Many young women in the Philippines are engaged in ‘everyday revolutions’ in spaces where imaginations, alternative visions, and voices are emerging and merging.

Keywords:

• young women
• active citizenship
• youth leadership

Notes

1. By definition, the youth, under Republic Act 8044 (Youth in Nation Building Act) of the Philippines, are those between the ages of 15 and 30. (National Youth Commission n.d.)

2. The barangay is the smallest political-administrative unit within the government structure of the Philippines. It is akin to a small neighbourhood or village.

3. The 2001 people's revolution that led to the impeachment of Joseph Estrada as the President of the Philippines, and which took place on the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).

4. The CEDAW Youth Network (Philippines) is an association of students and young women professionals, which aims to promote and campaign for the human rights of women in line with the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, with particular attention given to the rights of young women.

5. The Maguindanao Massacre of 2009 was the kidnapping and murder of a group of people in election-related political violence in Maguindanao, Philippines, and has been dubbed ‘the single deadliest event for journalists in history’ (Papa 2009). Of the 57 people murdered, 23 were women. For CEDAW Youth's Statement, see: http://www.cedaw-watch.org/cedawyouthspeakonMindanaomassacre.html (last accessed 16 August 2011)

6. Young Feminist Wire, see: http://yfa.awid.org (last accessed 16 August 2011)