What role do women play in post-conflict nation-building? How do processes of nation-building affect the status and situation of women? A literature review and findings from Afghanistan indicate that greater stability and improved outcomes would be likely if there were: 1) a more genuine emphasis on the concept of human security; 2) a focus on establishing governance based on principles of equity and consistent rule of law from the start; and 3) economic inclusion of women in the earliest stages of reconstruction activities.
Nation-building is defined in this paper as dealing with the societal and political aftermath of conflicts and establishing new governments and social compacts. In immediate post-conflict environments, the goal of preventing renewed violence often overshadows everything else. This can lead to tensions between civil-society actors, including advocates of women’s interests, and the implementers of nation-building efforts. Implementers often argue for a gradual and cautious approach, contending that too bold a stance on issues of gender will imperil peace. However, the (limited) available empirical evidence suggests that gender parity may help to facilitate stability.
In Afghanistan, the acceptance of women’s political participation by mainstream society – as reflected in opinion polls, survey research, and behaviour – was higher than outside observers had anticipated. A flexible process in which local conditions and concerns were noted and adapted to contributed to that outcome.
The following findings support the argument for earlier emphasis on values associated with stable democratic societies governed by rule of law. Among these, gender equity and women’s inclusion play a central role:
- The conduct of states in foreign relations tends to mirror domestic conduct. A country that shows a propensity toward violence and disregard of the rights of weaker strata of its society will be likely to initiate violence against its neighbours.
- The ‘demographic shift’ that generally represents the transition to modernity, involves conditions such as: smaller family size, higher longevity, increased maternal and infant survival rates, greater societal prosperity, and increased political stability. These go along with increased gender equality.
- Economic development is strongly elevated when women enter the marketplace. Women’s economic participation decreases the dependency ratio and increases the proportion of wage earners to dependents. Women are also more likely than men to reinvest their earnings to benefit the family.
- In many settings, including women in the labour force has lifted families out of the cycle of poverty.
- The presence of women in institutions such as the police and administrative bureaucracies is associated with decreases in corruption.
Beyond the three shifts in emphasis already mentioned, specific recommendations include the following:
- Establish clear goals for interventions: Women’s rights can mean different things to different parties. Listening to women is a way of gathering information on a country’s historical, social, and familial norms.
- Build up reliance on civil society: This requires long-term resources and support for indigenous community-level programmes that encourage local leaders to accept both traditional and non-traditional roles for women.
- Improve data collection: While data collection is difficult in conflict zones, collaboration is attainable and in everyone’s interest.
- Resolve contradictions: Resources need to be dedicated to predicting and resolving the contradictions created by social change. These might include contradictions between or within the constitution, legal code, local traditions and human rights conventions.
