GABRIELA's Principles

From GABRIELA, [2004]

We seek to forge women's unity within and among classes and constituencies to wage a struggle for the liberation of women and the rest of the Filipino people. This force will work for:

• genuine national sovereignty in Philippine socio-cultural, economic and political life and freedom from all foreign intervention especially that of the United States;
• a truly democratic government, representative of and participated in by grassroot women and women from all sectors and classes of society, that recognizes the cultural communities struggle for self-determination and preservation of their cultural life and traditions;
• a government that provides support systems for women, initiates programs and policies in consultation with women and promotes equality between women and men;
• an armed forces that truly protect the people, serve their interests and respect the supremacy of the civilian government;
• an end to militarization that has intensified the sufferings of the Filipino people, especially the women;
• a fair, just and independent legal and judicial system that does not discriminate against women and which upholds their rights and welfare;
• genuine land reform, recognition of women's participation in agricultural production, recognition of land rights of cultural minorities;
• a self-reliant economy that is geared primarily towards domestic consumption and nationalist industrialization, gives equal value to the participation of women in production and responds to specific needs of women at work;
• a quality educational system that is nationalist, pro-people, non-sexist and liberating;
• a socio-cultural system that does not demean women;
• the development of basic sciences and technology that serve Filipinos and considers the particular needs of women; and,
• the strengthening of solidarity with women's groups in other countries against sexism, imperialism and militarism in the world.