MARAWI CITY (PIA)--Save the Children Philippines, with the support of the European Union, spearheads the launch of the Supporting an Enabling Atmosphere for Children and Youth Network for Peacebuilding Goals, or SENANG (Serenity and Happiness in Malay) Project that aims to reach about 80,000 children and young people, including those with different sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

It will be put into place over the next three years in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which includes both urban and rural areas in the Philippines that are dominated by Muslims and have been affected by conflict. In these areas, children are most affected by inequality and discrimination. They often don't have the power to make changes, and it's hard for them to take part in peace talks and the peace process.

"The EU is a reliable, trusted, and neutral partner supporting peace and development in Mindanao," said Frederic Grillet, first secretary, Political, Press, and Information Section of the EU Delegation to the Philippines.

He said that this project fits with and supports the government's and other relevant agencies' existing peace efforts and initiatives, whose goals are to prevent conflict, deal with crises, and build peace. This shows how important children and young people are to making a peaceful society.

The main goal of SENANG is to make sure that children and young people in Mindanao can live in peace. To do this, the project will help prevent human-made conflicts, respond to crises, encourage children and youth to take an active role in social cohesion, create safe and neutral spaces, and promote peace and tolerance through arts and culture.

"We continue our commitment to seek durable solutions and bridge the humanitarian-peace-justice- development nexus. Peace education and inclusive spaces of children and youth participation are our key approaches that will drive our goal to provide a fair and equal world for and with children," said Lawyer Alberto Muyot, CEO of Save the Children Philippines.

He asked everyone to join them on their journey to improve the lives of children and young people in Mindanao, as well as the lives of their families and communities, and to help build a better future for the next generation.

SENANG’s major outputs will include: 1) co-designed artistic outputs of children and youth reflecting contextualized vision and messages on social cohesion and peace in Mindanao; 2) government and community commitment and response in addressing conflict and crises; and 3) the establishment and strengthening of state and non-state accountability mechanisms at the local and regional levels that include children and youth.

"We believe it is vital for all of us to work together to address the root causes of conflict. We could do this by actively engaging residents, especially the youth, in the affected communities in countering conflicts and facilitating peace-promoting approaches," said Susana Guadalupe Marcaida, Executive Director of Local Conflict Transformation and Peace Sustainability of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).

"Through this effort, we shall continuously demonstrate our collective commitment not only to build and sustain the gains of peace but to also bring reconciliation and unity among our people," Marcaida added.

The event was attended by representatives from OPAPRU, Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)-INNOTECH, the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission, and various ministries and youth groups in BARMM. (Save the Children PH/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)