A functional justice system works within its people's genuine needs.
Laisa Masuhud Alamia anchors her work on the stories of her people, especially the women, in Southern Philippines. She responds to her obligation as a woman, a Muslim, and a member of a minority group, to elevate these narratives in the work in strengthening the institutions for peace and justice. Their voice is crucial in standing up for the right to self determination, in establishing peace and unity, and in pursuing better quality of life for all Bangsamoro people.
In the Philippines, asserting customary beliefs and practices within formal justice systems can be quite challenging. It is doubly hard when these systems are weak and ineffective in upholding the rights of its people. While working on institutional reforms, it is important to recognize informal mechanims that bridge justice delivery with local culture and relationships.
Laisa Masuhud Alamia, a human rights lawyer from the Philippines, is an expert in the use of Shari’a law especially when it concerns issues of particular relevance to Muslim women, such as Female Genital Cutting, Adoption and the Care of Orphans, Women’s Religious Leadership, and Child Marriages.
Laisa Masuhud Alamia is a member and the Minority Leader of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority – Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the Philippines. She has previously held the position of Executive Secretary of the previous Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for six years, the first and last woman to hold the position in the history of ARMM. She also chaired the ARMM Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (HEART), ARMM Council Against Trafficking (ACAT) and co-chaired the ARMM’s Regional Economic Development and Planning Board (REDPB),the foremost development planning council of the ARMM.
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