To date, the debate on state fragility has failed to take into account gender dimensions; and policy-makers have often ignored issues of gender in state-building approaches and interventions. The vast majority of the literature on gender and state-building is critical of donor approaches and interventions. Gender is typically seen as a luxury that should be left aside until the issues of security and governance are addressed. Where there is commitment to integrate gender into state-building programmes, interventions have often been in gender-stereotyped programme areas such as health, education and sexual violence. Gender here is equated with women’s ‘special needs’, neglecting power relations between women and men and within society as a whole. The result is that gender is not applied as a meaningful analytical framework; and gender dynamics are not properly addressed in security and governance, which are considered ‘gender neutral’. This undermines the impact and effectiveness of state-building interventions.
The literature presents a range of findings, lessons and recommendations for interventions in fragile states aimed at gender equality and state-building. These include:
- Gender needs to be understood “politically”, as an issue of power relations.
- Non-state structures are often of greater importance to women in fragile states.
- Efforts should be made to consolidate changes in gender relations that have taken place during periods of conflict.
- Increasing women’s representation in security and governance institutions can improve legitimacy of the institution and result in more effective community relations.
- Quotas for women’s representation in security and governance institutions are insufficient.
- Gender responsive budgeting has the potential to transform gender inequalities and can be an important approach for discussions on gender and fragility.
- Women activists and women’s organisations in fragile states need to be strengthened.
- Both men and women need to be engaged.
- Gender mainstreaming is important but should be considered in context.
