WUNRN
WOMEN'S ROLES IN LOCAL PEACEBUILDING
IN AFGHANISTAN, LIBERIA, NEPAL, PAKISTAN, & SIERRA LEONE - "FROM
THE GROUND UP"
Direct Link to Full 72-Page Report:
Report Executive Summary - 8 Pages
20 September 2012 - A new report from ActionAid, IDS, and Womankind looks at the role of women in local peacebuilding initiatives, finding that women are more likely than men to adopt a broad definition of peace which includes the household level and focuses on the attainment of individual rights and freedoms such as education, healthcare and freedom from violence.
In contrast, men have a greater tendency to associate peace with the absence of formal conflict and the stability of formal structures such as governance and infrastructure.
The research has revealed that women face multiple barriers as they attempt to build peace in their communities including the following:
- Restrictive social norms and attitudes that reinforce
traditional gender roles, making it difficult for women to participate
safely and meaningfully in peacebuilding
- Violence against women and girls, fuelled by the
long-term impact of conflict and militarisation, impacts on women’s
freedom to participate in peacebuilding activities. Women face
intimidation and threats to their safety when they try to take active
roles in their communities. Access to justice also remains a significant
challenge for survivors of violence against women and girls.
- Poverty and economic inequality also inhibits women’s
involvement in peacebuilding activities. Women report that they are unable
to engage in peacebuilding activities because of the double burden of
their domestic roles and income-generation activities as well as a lack of
control over household income.
- Inequality in access to education for women and resulting
low levels of literacy were identified in many communities as barriers to
women’s active participation in peacebuilding. However, it was also noted
that women have many skills in conflict resolution and peacebuilding that
do not necessarily require high levels of education.
- Women often de-value their role as peacebuilders, and
despite their achievements, women do not necessarily recognise the
important role they play in building peace. They tend to focus much more
on the importance of state institutions and local leaders as the key
actors in peacebuilding.
- Sustainability of support: organisations working to
support women in peacebuilding activities also face barriers which impact
on the sustainability of their work, including limited and short-term funding
and the challenges posed by a lack of national infrastructure and lack of
access to remote communities.
The report makes a number of recommendations around development and implementing cohrent and concrete policy commitments, ensuring women's participation in peaces processes, providing long-term support, funding and an enalbling environment for women's peacebuilding, and tackling violence against women and girls.