A lot of Filipino-Muslim women have faced countless struggles and triumphs, but not many Filipinos know their stories.

Thus, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) volunteered to be their narrator in a new online publication called “Beyond the Veils of Resilience: Voices of Filipino-Muslim Women.”

The online publication will feature the lived experiences of Muslim and Moro women in the Philippines, the CHR said.

In a statement issued on Thursday, June 26, the CHR said Filipino-Muslim women have experienced a lifetime of discrimination and vulnerability, with a faith that is often misunderstood.

It said their daily challenges are even intensified as they deal with what the commission described as “overlapping layers of discrimination” because of gender identification, indigenous groups, and internally displaced groups.

The CHR said the online publication, spearheaded by the Human Rights Policy Centers Office-Center for Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights, collected stories from focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and community forums conducted across Regions IX, X, and the National Capital Region.

Considered as a marginalized group under the Magna Carta of Women, the Muslim and Moro women require sustained efforts to uncover and address the compounded vulnerabilities they face, it also said.

The online publication provides a crucial platform for dialogue and advocacy, allowing the CHR to engage more deeply with duty-bearers and civil society stakeholders in crafting meaningful, inclusive policies and programs, it added.

At the same time, the CHR said the online publication is a vital step towards a more inclusive society as it bridges the gap between existing policies and the actual experiences faced by Muslim and Moro women.

It also said the publication will highlight the need to eliminate discrimination based on religion and intersecting identities, and ensure their right to security and freedom from violence.