GABRIELA

GABRIELA Women's Party
Leader Liza Maza
Spokesperson Luzviminda Ilagan
Founded 1984, 2003 (as partylist)
Headquarters Quezon City
Ideology Socialist feminism
Political position Left
National affiliation Bayan
International affiliation none
Official colors Purple, White
Seats in the House of Representatives of the Philippines
2 / 287
House of Representatives party-list seats
2 / 57
Website
Official Website of GABRIELA Women's Party
Politics of the Philippines
Political parties
Elections

GABRIELA is a leftist Filipino organization that advocates for women's issues.

It is a nationwide network of grassroots organizations, institutions, and programs that address issues such as human rights, poverty, globalization, militarism, violence, health, sex trafficking, censorship[1] and other issues affecting women. Its name is an acronym of General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action. There are regional chapters in Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Mindanao; sub-regional chapters in Negros, Panay and Samar, and provincial chapters in Bicol and Cebu.

Contents

History

GABRIELA was founded in April 1984 after 10,000 women marched in Manila, defying a Marcos decree against demonstrations.[2] The NGO was named in honor of Gabriela Silang, who led a revolt against Spain in the second half of the eighteenth century.

Electoral performance

In 2003, the party-list 'Gabriela Women's Party' was launched by GABRIELA.[2] In the 2004 elections for the House of Representatives the party-list got 464,586 votes (3.6518% of the nationwide vote and one seat; Liza Maza)[3][4] In the 14 May 2007 election, the party won 2 seats in the nationwide party-list vote.

Electoral performance

Election Votes  % Seats
2004 464,586 3.65% 1
2007 621,171 3.89% 2
2010 1,001,421 3.31% 2

Representatives to Congress

Human Trafficking

In the Philippines, GABRIELA is actively involved in awareness campaigns to prevent the trafficking of women and girls from the Philippines. Its strategies consist of seminars and information dissemination to NGOs and government agencies and awareness campaigns at the community level.[5] GABRIELA Philippines reports that a Filipina woman sells for between $3000 and $5000 in the international sex trade.[6]

GABRIELA USA

GABRIELA-USA is the first overseas chapter of the Philippine-based organization, extending the Filipino women's mass movement to the United States.

GABnet in United States

GABRIELA has a sister network in the United States, GABRIELA Network (GABNet). GABnet is a US-Philippine women’s solidarity mass organization. GABnet conducted a nationwide vigil on Friday, May 20th, 2005 in six US cities—Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle. The vigil was the first nationally coordinated action in the US to protest the escalating political killings in the Philippines.[7]

Notable members

References

External links