How Women’s Participation in Armed Conflict Impact War Outcome

Posted: January 4th, 2023

How Women’s Participation in Armed Conflict Impact War Outcome

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Problem Statement

The sociocultural and political factors in many societies usually restrict women from participating in actions that would have significant influence over a large population or society. Nonetheless, various scholars discover from their scholarly works that women have the potential to give helpful solutions to societal problems. Evidence suggest that women have played valuable functions in fostering peaceful coexistence in countries such as Liberia and Rwanda that have witnessed cases of ethnical and political clashes in the past. Scholars reveal that empowering women and providing them with the chance to engage in decision making practices may increase the likelihood of avoiding conflicts and finding quick remedies to the problem. Engaging women in finding solutions to conflicting situations requires people, particularly men, to transform their perception regarding their female counterparts and consider them as equally having the potential to contribute towards the society’s well-being and prosperity.[1] The government should be in the forefront in advocating for women’s participation in armed conflict and peace-building mission by fostering a society where people from both genders serve active functions in establish a society where everyone feels safe and secure. The government should step in by formulating effective policies that permit women to participate in armed conflict when they meet minimum qualifications. The policies should also allow women to engage in peace-building initiatives to create a nonviolent place where people relate with each other regardless of their differences. Learning from past incidences and borrowing valuable tips from scholarly works provide the chance to increase how women engage in armed conflict in various capacities.

Literature Review

The subject of women’s engagement in peacebuilding is questionably an investigative area, which prior to the current century remained unexplored and undeveloped in the fields of peace and conflict and in the practice of fostering peace. The international community should better develop structures to engage women in peace initiatives to help attain maintainable peace and more appropriately create friendly relationships between different entities in conflicts.[2] Shepherd asserts that peace reconstruction and agreements are more attainable and manageable when women have the opportunity to participate take part in the mitigation process.[3] Furthermore, brining women to the peace table increase the quality of outcomes reached and advanced the possibility of implementation because of the diverse skills and competence that women have.

It is important to understand why women largely miss from conflict and war to acquire a starting point on how to engage them. It happens that many societies place conflicting demands on women during revolution and conflict, and when coupled with contrasting historical practices, it results in dissimilar post-conflict regulations towards women.[4] Even when women have taken part in revolutions and conflict resolution in areas that have experienced considerable ethnical and political wars such as Rwanda and Liberia, they face considerable pressure to restrict themselves to the home environment. Afshar contends that constantly confining women within the domestic environment in the post-war period may counter the efforts to engage everyone, especially women in addressing wars and revolutions.[5] Shepherd argue that women are disproportionately influenced by war and revolution and their encounters are different from men.[6] Many women, however, may bear a heavier task than men during conflicts, their encounters, perceptions, and competence are always underappreciated and underused in the mitigation of conflicts. Consequently, women continue to lack the chance to assume leadership positions throughout the globe. In future, international groups should focus assimilating this underrepresented group and take gender balance into consideration when planning for peace and reconciliation through legal initiatives that champion for the needs of women.  

Moreover, denying women the chance to engage in activities that address conflicts may derail the attempts to overcome the notion that masculinity for the core aspects of nationalism and nationhood, something which deter many women from expressing their views in essential issues, including armed conflict. With the arrival of the 21^st century and the long history of women’s engagement in policy formation, rebellions, and wars, it may not be possible to utilize the symbolic significance bestowed upon them in times of clashes to express a different view of belonging and nationhood, and to form a more engaging and less competitive and bureaucratic techniques to political activities and the rebuilding of countries and their sense of belongingness.[7]

Muslim women have shown resilience in the way they have participated in conflicts and call for reconciliation and peaceful coexistence for many years. For example, Muslim women in Lebanon have increasingly advocated for the engagement of women in conflict and mitigation initiatives through their scholarly works that advocate better ways for addressing wars while engaging everyone.[8] Elsewhere, Muslim women in Iran, Palestine, and Israel have come out strongly to support women’s engagement in advocating for peace during conflict.[9] The contribution by Muslim scholars illustrates how educated women play essential functions in promoting the feminist approach, which focuses on addressing gender inequality. The works of such educated women inform people on the need to end discrimination, stereotyping, sexual objectification, and patriarchy that deny women equal chances.

Liberian women played major roles during the war, and their relentless efforts to bring the warring sides together for negotiation played essential functions in promoting national peace. The Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET) played essential functions in mobilizing women in the initial days of the country’s civil clash. The group organized and conducted public demonstrations and matches in 1991 to call for security and peace, and began to be part of peace talks by 1993.[10] However, the peace attained in 1996 and 1997 initiatives did not last for longer prompting war to resume in 2000.[11] Nonetheless, WIPNET did not tire in its efforts to restore peace and seized the opportunity to intensify its practices to mobilize women to participate in peace initiatives. A defining moment for the inclusion of WIPNET in the peace processes in Liberia was during the second civil unrest, which took place when retired president Charles Taylor urged women, particularly those under WIPNET to find the leaders of the rebel groups and make peace.[12] Women proved themselves to be valuable by making a trip to Sierra Leone, where the rebel leaders had established their base.[13] The women set a meeting between Taylor and the rebel leaders, gaining the reputation of appropriate intermediaries. WIPNET played another important functions in 2003 when Liberia was facing one of its deadliest civil wars.[14] The group organized and executed the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace Campaign to directly address the rebel leaders who were the cause of the war. The attempts to travel across the country and to involve the rebel leaders were not in vain as the initiative was important in progressing the disarmament process. Liberia now enjoys its thirteenth year of uninterrupted peace, and even elected a female president in 2005, making it the first African nation to give a woman the chance to lead the country. Many women turned out to vote in the 2005 general election, which depicted how much the Liberian society had transformed its perception towards women. These efforts indicate how well-organized grassroots initiatives can create more inclusive peacebuilding initiatives.

Liberia now understands that women can be instrumental in promoting peace during armed conflicts, and various groups have emerged to instill hope and courage among the women population. For example, the Mano River Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET) invests a lot of resources in empowering women to engage in the reconstruction of Liberia. Consequently, some affiliates of MARWOPNET, such as groups representing Christian and Muslim women, give training in different capacities.[15] For instance, women who have undergone adequate empowerment as seamstresses have got the chance to acquire state contracts to make school uniforms, particularly in the Bomi County. Competence-based training does not only help to fuse women into the economy, but also provide appropriate tools and avenues for sustainable employment, and to integrate women into the country’s economic and political practices. Thus, Liberia is a perfect example of a country, illustrating how it women can contribute towards peaceful coexistence in a war-torn country, but only if they get the opportunity to express their views.

The situation is not any different in Rwanda where in the midst of all the humanitarian aid and debates during the civil war in the 1990s, the Rwandese women have generally been regarded as just one of the many populations seeking for attention. However, research indicates that women are a fundamental aspect of the reconstruction process in Rwanda and should receive adequate attention in the initiatives and policies of global governmental and non-governmental agencies, bilateral and intergovernmental aid groups, and global financial groups.[16] It is a common perception that the increase of women’s functions in the public domain that often happens during conflicts is usually followed by a drop in women’s chances and a withdrawal of women’s space for  engaging in public practices in the post-conflict phases of reconstruction.[17] Nonetheless, the Rwandan scenario does not fit fall within this common trend. Today, the women in Rwanda are assuming new positions and duties out of sheer need.[18] Despite the numerous constraints, the public opportunity for women’s engagement has dramatically grew in the past half a decade. Women organized themselves in self-help groups and non-governmental organizations that promoted their ideologies for peace and end to war.[19] The Rwandese women had the opportunity to contribute towards a peaceful society because the group constitutes the highest population in the country, and are likely to have a major influence when they come together. McCarthy informs that even before the 1994 Rwanda genocide both the Tutsi and Hutu women took part in violent actions. Women from the Hutu community particularly worked in the Rwandan Army.[20] Besides, the RPF recruited women soldiers who acted as entertainers, transporters or weapons, and cooks. Women’s engagement in the Rwandese conflict suggests that females have the potential to take part in armed conflict.

The evidence suggests that women have the ability to mitigate conflicts and wars, but when they have the opportunity and necessary support. The state should make necessary adjustments to its policies and initiate a massive campaign that sensitizes people about the need to act as a team when addressing issues of armed conflict.[21] Policy developers and implementers should put more emphasis on adhering to resolution 1325 adopted by the Security Council in 2000.[22] Adhering to the policy increases women’s indulgence in building peace because the regulation reaffirms the significant function of women in preventing and resolving conflicts, and facilitating peace negations and humanitarian reaction. Moreover, it is vital to enact measures that would protect women against possible psychological effects such as PTSD that are likely to occur when women are subjected to prolonged warfare and segregation.[23]

Theoretical Framework

Research Design

Research Question

How does women’s participation in armed conflict impact war Outcome?

Hypothesis

Hypothesis 1: The more women get the chance to participate in peace-making ventures the more they are likely to produce the desirable outcome in the way the society will become more peaceful and everyone would coexist in harmony. In this hypothesis the independent variable is “participation of women in peace-making ventures” and dependent variable is “peace and harmony”.

Hypothesis 2: The more educated women participate in reconciliation process, the more peaceful outcome results. In this hypothesis the independent variable is “participation of educated women” and dependent variable is “peaceful outcome”.

The study utilizes the qualitative research method, which entails gathering and examining non-numerical information. The process gathering data such as audio, video, or audio, to know the views, encounters, or concepts. Compared to the quantitative research, the qualitative approach pays attention on the theoretical aspects rather than the numerical aspects.[24] The design also pays attention to the depth of the study rather than its breadth. The researcher would have to use exploratory techniques, which would give them the chance to understand the feelings, thoughts, and perceptions of the participants. The process will entail issuing open ended questionnaires to women leaders and other national leaders. The questionnaires that will be administered via email to target groups in Liberia and Rwanda will inquire about the involvement of women in armed conflict, and how their indulgence has helped to achieve long-lasting peace. The qualitative approach is more suitable for the study because it is easy to conduct and does not require high level of expertise. The exercise utilizes the non-probability sampling techniques to recognize the most appropriate sources. It precisely applies purposive sampling where the investigator employs their competence and awareness to produce a test sample that the data collector can sensibly accept to be a real image of the large volume of data that may provide information.  

Summary

The study illustrates that women have a great potential to contribute towards peaceful coexistence during conflicts, but only if they get the opportunity. Evidence suggest that women were instrumental in fostering peace in both Rwanda and Liberia that encountered many years of lawlessness under the past regimes. Even though both societies perceived women as being less capable of taking part in wars and peace-building missions, many were pleased after they joined groups to advocate to an end to war and peaceful coexistence.  Education emerges to be a vital aspect for women’s growth and development because the process equips them with valuable skills and awareness that they can use to resolve conflicts and rebellions. Educated women know the processes to follow when addressing misunderstandings, and can give suggestions that may help to address the problem. Other countries should draw valuable lessons from these two African countries, and provide more women with the chance to engage in armed conflict in different capacities. The qualitative research approach proves to be the most suitable research design because it provides the chance to collect and use relevant information. However, the researchers may have to consider the possible limitations when using the method to avoid any inconveniency.

Bibliography

Afshar, Haleh. 2003. “Women and Wars: Some Trajectories towards a Feminist Peace.” Development in Practice 13(2-3): 178-188.

Aolain, Fionnuala. 2010. “Advancing Women’s Rights in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations.” American Society of International Law 104, 568-570.

Bekoe, Dorina and Parajon Christina. Women’s Role in Liberia’s Reconstruction. United States Institute of Peace, May 1, 2007. https://www.usip.org/publications/2007/05/womens-role-liberias-reconstruction

Brouneus, Karen. 2014. “The Women and Peace Hypothesis in Peacebuilding Settings: Attitudes of Women in the Wake of the Rwandan Genocide.” The University of Chicago Press Journals 40(1): 125-151.

Connolly, Lesley and Mincieli Laurie. 2019. “Partnerships.” Sustaining Peace in Liberia, 9-13. http://www.jstor.com/stable/resrep19641.9

Demers, Annette. 2006. “Women and War: A Bibliography of Recent Works.” International Journal of Legal Information 34(1): 98-144.

Gbowee, Leymah. 2019. “When women Stand Together as One.” Journal of International Affairs 72(2): 13-18.

Hamilton, Heather. “Rwanda’s Women: The Key to Reconstruction.” Reliefweb, January 10,

Hedstrom, Jenny and Senarathna Thiyumi. Women in Conflict and Peace. Stockholm: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 2015.

Issifu, Abdul. 2015. “The Role of African Women in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding: The Case of Rwanda.” The Journal of Pan African Studies 8(9): 63-78.

Izabiliza, Jeanne. 2005. “The Role of Women in Reconstruction: Experience of Rwanda.” Paper presented at Consultation on Empowering women in the Great Lakes Region: Violence, Peace and Women’s Leadership, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 May-1 June.

Krause, Jana, Krause Werner, and Branfors Pila. 2018. “Women’s Participation in Peace Negotiations and the Durability of Peace.” International Interactions, 44(6): 985-1016.

McCarthy, Mary. “Women ‘s Participation in Peacebuilding: A Missing Piece of the Puzzle?” College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal, http://repository.upenn.edu/curej/132.

Rahman, Shidur. 2017. “The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches and Methods in Language “Testing and Assessment” Research: A Literature Review.” Journal of Education and Learning 6(1): 102-112.

Shepherd, Cassandra. 2015. “The Role of Women in International Conflict Resolution.” Hamline University’s School of Law’s Journal of Public Law and Policy 36(2): 53-67.

UN. 2020. “Landmark Resolution on Women, Peace and Security.” OSAGI, 2020. https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/wps/

Weah, Aaron. 2018. “Building Networks for Peace in Liberia.” Local Networks for Peace, pp. 47-54. http://www.jstor.com/stable/resrep19651.9

Wilen, Nina. 2019. “It’s Time to Build a Gender-Just Peace: Here is How.” Africa Policy Brief, 2, 1-9.

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[1] Aolain, Fionnuala. 2010. “Advancing Women’s Rights in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations.” American Society of International Law 104, 570.

[2] Brouneus, Karen. 2014. “The Women and Peace Hypothesis in Peacebuilding Settings: Attitudes of Women in the Wake of the Rwandan Genocide.” The University of Chicago Press Journals 40(1): 127.

[3] Shepherd, Cassandra. 2015. “The Role of Women in International Conflict Resolution.” Hamline University’s School of Law’s Journal of Public Law and Policy 36(2): 53

[4] Demers, Annette. 2006. “Women and War: A Bibliography of Recent Works.” International Journal of Legal Information 34(1): 107

[5] Afshar, Haleh. 2003. “Women and Wars: Some Trajectories towards a Feminist Peace.” Development in Practice 13(2-3): 182

[6] Shepherd, 54

[7] Wilen, Nina. 2019. “It’s Time to Build a Gender-Just Peace: Here is How.” Africa Policy Brief,

2, 7

[8] Afshar, 187

[9] Ibid, 187

[10] Bekoe, Dorina and Parajon Christina. Women’s Role in Liberia’s Reconstruction. United States Institute of Peace, May 1, 2007. https://www.usip.org/publications/2007/05/womens-role-liberias-reconstruction

[11] Weah, Aaron. 2018. “Building Networks for Peace in Liberia.” Local Networks for Peace, pp.

47-54. http://www.jstor.com/stable/resrep19651.9

[12] Ibid

[13] Gbowee, Leymah. 2019. “When women Stand Together as One.” Journal of International

Affairs 72(2): 15

[14] Connolly, Lesley and Mincieli Laurie. 2019. “Partnerships.” Sustaining Peace in Liberia, 11.

http://www.jstor.com/stable/resrep19641.9

[15] Bekoe, Dorina and Parajon Christina. Women’s Role in Liberia’s Reconstruction.

[16] Hamilton, Heather. “Rwanda’s Women: The Key to Reconstruction.” Reliefweb, January 10, 2000. https://reliefweb.int/report/rwanda/rwandas-women-key-reconstruction

[17] Issifu, Abdul. 2015. “The Role of African Women in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding: The Case of Rwanda.” The Journal of Pan African Studies 8(9): 71

[18] Hamilton, Heather. “Rwanda’s Women: The Key to Reconstruction.” Reliefweb, January 10, 2000. https://reliefweb.int/report/rwanda/rwandas-women-key-reconstruction

[19] Izabiliza, Jeanne. 2005. “The Role of Women in Reconstruction: Experience of Rwanda.” Paper presented at Consultation on Empowering women in the Great Lakes Region: Violence,

Peace and Women’s Leadership, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 30 May-1 June.

[20] McCarthy, Mary. “Women ‘s Participation in Peacebuilding: A Missing Piece of the Puzzle?” College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal, http://repository.upenn.edu/curej/132.

[21] Hedstrom, Jenny and Senarathna Thiyumi. 2015. Women in Conflict and Peace (Stockholm: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance), 24.

[22] UN. 2020. “Landmark Resolution on Women, Peace and Security.” OSAGI, 2020. https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/wps/

[23] Krause, Jana, Krause Werner, and Branfors Pila. 2018. “Women’s Participation in Peace

Negotiations and the Durability of Peace.” International Interactions, 44(6): 994

[24] Rahman, Shidur. 2017. “The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches and Methods in Language “Testing and Assessment” Research: A Literature Review.” Journal of Education and Learning 6(1): 105