CTR Reference No.

2021/428-096

Title of the project

Access to Legal Identity and Social Services for Decommissioned Combatants (ALIAS DC)

Implementing organisations

Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services, Inc. (IDEALS, Inc.)

Project Location/s

Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Lanao del Norte, Cotabato City, Philippines

Operational Duration

(start date – end date of activities)

18 months (February 2022 – July February 2024)

Allocated budget

(EU contribution only)

EUR 1.100.000

Overall and Specific objectives (simplified – for publication)

Overall objective:
The overall objective of this project is to enable communities that reside within and surrounding MILF camps to live normal and productive lives as members of society.

Specific objectives:
Specifically, this project aims to resolve legal identity issues of the target groups by acquiring Certificates of Live Birth, which is a fundamental requirement for government recognition and access to basic social services, and adopting policies and improved mechanisms on civil  registrations to increase civil registration rates in the target areas

Main target groups

1. Decommissioned combatants involved in Phase 1 – 3 of the Decommissioning Process;

2. Families of decommissioned combatants, non decommissioned combatants, and members of communities surrounding MILF camps 
(within Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao); 

3. Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB) 

4. Members of marginalized sectors such as internally displaced persons and indigenous peoples.

Main activities (simplified – for publication)

1. Legal Missions will be conducted which will offer services such as mobile civil registration, mobile civil documentation, and legal documentation and referrals.

2. Policy lobbying efforts towards strengthening the capacities of Local Civil Registrars and local stakeholders 

3. Capacity-building activities for community-level stakeholders to aid in  sustaining the civil registration rates in the target areas and further inform other community members on the importance of civil registration.

Sustainability of the Project

ALIAS DC aims to resolve the legal identity issues of beneficiaries by acquiring Certificates of Live Birth as a fundamental requirement for government recognition and provision of services. Beyond the distribution of the birth certificates, the project will enable MILF decommissioned combatants, their families, and communities surrounding camps to live normal and productive lives as members of civil society afterwards. The project activities are coupled with awareness-raising components to ensure that beneficiaries realize the significance of civil registration and eventually be able to assert their rights to it.

Target SDGs

Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions