Conflict Prevention
Issues:
UN Resolution 1325
Sexual violence
Gender dynamics in conflicts
There is now a growing awareness that gender roles, relations and inequalities are an important factor before, during and after conflicts. The specific impact of conflict on women, too, has been increasingly scrutinized and acknowledged.
Links:
International Crisis Group: Gender and Conflict
WomenWarPeace: Gender and Conflict Analysis
The Institute of Inclusive Security
With the adoption of the UN Res 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in 2000, women’s critical role as actors in peace and security issues was recognized for the first time and reconfirmed by the UN Res 1820 in 2008. Res 1325 has become the key instrument to enforce women’s rights in conflict situations and address gender issues in peace and security work.
Links:
Peace Women
Publications:
ICAN and Center for International Studies 2010: What the Women Say: Participation and UNSCR 1325
In wars and conflicts, sexual violence is often used as a systematic weapon of warfare. However, sexual violence is by no means a phenomenon of war only, but often persists in the aftermath of conflicts. Protection from sexual violence is enshrined in key international legal frameworks, most recently the UN Res 1820. An effective response to tackling sexual violence must be included in any conflict and post-conflict intervention.
Links:
Stop rape now: an action against sexual violence in conflicts
Publications:
Shaina Greiff 2010: Violence against Women in the name of culture, religion, and tradition
During armed conflicts, women take on new tasks and responsibilities. This is often highlighted as an opportunity for women’s empowerment, but evidence from the ground suggests that women often take on new burdens without necessarily gaining more rights. Gender dynamics in conflict are shaped by increased gender stereotypes. As many men fail to fulfil masculine norms (for example, as household providers) and experience violence, vulnerability and powerlessness themselves, they tend to compensate feelings of failure with violence against women and children, which may explain the increase of domestic violence in many post-conflict societies.
Links:
Publications:
BRIDGE: Gender and armed conflicts
