Protecting Civilians, Building Peace in Mindanao

CRS began peacebuilding work in Mindanao in 1996. In order to strengthen leadership and grass roots efforts, CRS supported the establishment of the Mindanao Peace Institute (MPI) in 2000. Since then, CRS and the MPI have launched a number of initiatives to protect civilians from further violence. CRS produced a Protection Training Manual in 2009 and is working with MPI to use the manual in its curriculum to provide regional leaders and trainers with a range of peacebuilding and protection skills. In addition to the MPI application of the CRS protection manual, CRS provides training to agencies in such skills as human rights, humanitarian law and local peace accords detailing the rights of civilians, to incorporate protection into all levels of agency programming, as well as those of its local partners.