Why do post-conflict reconstruction (PCR) programmes need to address gender relations and equality? How can gender be ‘mainstreamed’ in PCR interventions? This draft conference paper by Gender Action considers gender, particularly the needs of women, in post-conflict situations. PCR programmes commonly fail to recognise and address gender issues. Investing in women and promoting gender equality are necessary both for maintaining peace and achieving sustainable development.
Substantial research and activism on women’s needs and participation in peace negotiations followed the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women. United Nations Security Resolution 1325 of October 2000 reinforced women’s roles in defining peace terms and peacemaking. However, there has been less focus on gender equality in PCR. Donors and their partners in PCR often inadvertently reinforce gender discrimination and disparities. This has negative impacts on the well being of women and their families, on economic growth, and on opportunities for positive development. Examples include:
- Often only men are seen as ex-combatants and women who have also fought are denied access to reintegration programmes
- Employment training projects target male ex-combatants, even though in post-conflict situations women are often household heads. The “informal” and “invisible” sectors are often ignored, as are issues such as childcare, family responsibilities and cultural practices affecting women’s participation
- Conflict accelerates male rural-to-urban migration but agriculture programmes tend to focus on male ex-combatants rather than women
- PCR often fails to recognise and address violence against women within households in post-conflict situations
- International financial institutions frequently fail to take account of the gender impacts of macroeconomic policies
Promotion of gender equality is important in any development intervention, but essential in PCR. It must be undertaken in addition to “women’s projects” that focus on women but do not change the society in which they live. The challenge is not merely to empower women, but to engage all of society, including elder male leaders and young men, to accept gender equality norms.
Recommendations are:
- Careful gender analyses must be integrated into PCR, rather than simply being ‘added on’ to development plans and projects
- Every post-conflict policy, program, and project design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation must analyse and address gender issues, intervention opportunities and gender derived benefits and costs
- All social and economic data must be sex-disaggregated
- Women and men should jointly make macroeconomic resource allocation decisions
- Critical numbers of women must be equal partners with men in the peace-making process and in post-conflict decision-making. Male gender advocates are also essential. Information about women’s rights and gender equality needs to be disseminated widely
- Gender training is needed for women and men alike.
