Global Women's Issues Women in the World Today, extended version Women, Girls and Armed Conflict

Chapter Women , Girls and Armed Chapter Summary ' Significant and Lasting Harm Women as Agents of War and Peace Gains in Gender Relations Profile Project Female Peacekeepers Smash Additional Resources This chapter discusses the impacts of armed on women and girls , including the renewed social vulnerabilities these cause . These vulnerabilities include rape , forced marriage , forced impregnation , indentured labour , sexual servitude , and the intentional spread of . During times of armed , women are exploited in ways that relate to their reproductive responsibilities or expectations of womanhood . However , women and girls are not merely victims in situations of or violence . They can have critical perspectives on their position , make choices , and organize collectively . Women can take active roles in violence , such as joining the , or participate in peace processes . The participation of women in formal peace processes is vital for a society to move forward during periods , as indicated by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 . For example , the chapter mentions that women organized peace campaigns during the 1991 Balkan wars and the 2000 coup in . The chapter provides two case studies of women engagement in peace processes , one from a governmental perspective and another from a state perspective . Women for Women International was founded by and aims to help women survivors of war recover from their experiences . The organization has raised over 80 million throughout 17 years and has worked with over women and girls . The chapter also discusses the increasing role of female peacekeeping forces . Since 2007 , India has sent four Female Formed Police Units ( to , which has inspired women to join the national police force . Further , India has inspired and to create their own . Blue Ribbon Campaign Female Police Unit ( United Nations Development Fund for Women ( United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 78

79 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State Women in Black Figure Armed conflict disrupts families and has significant negative consequences for women . Although they are victims of war , they may also be agents of peace . Displaced Sudanese women , driven from their villages by militia , shelter at the Abu refugee camp in , Overview By Women and girls experience armed much the same way men and boys do . They are killed , injured , disabled and tortured . They are targeted with weapons and suffer social and economic dislocation . They suffer the psychosocial impact as loved ones die or they witness violence against their families and neighbors . They suffer the effects of violence before , during and after flight from a combat zone . They are at heightened risk of diseases , including sexually transmitted diseases ( and . They are affected by the resource depletion resulting from armed conflict . They join , or are forced to join , armed forces or insurgency movements . They care for the wounded , sick , despairing and displaced , and may be among the most outspoken advocates for peace .

Women in the World Today , extended version 80 and Lasting Harm There is a growing body of evidence ( 2001 , 2002 ) that the impact of armed on women and girls may be exacerbated by their social vulnerability . The harm done to women and girls during and after armed is significant , and often exposes them to further harm and violence . and sexual violence such as rape , forced marriage , forced impregnation , forced abortion , torture , trafficking , sexual slavery and the intentional spread of , including , are weapons of warfare integral to many of today conflicts . Women are victims of genocide and enslaved for labor . Women and girls are often viewed as culture bearers and of the enemy and thus become prime targets . Women are exploited because of their maternal responsibilities and attachments , which heighten their vulnerability to abuse . Figure Somalian women gather with their children at the refugee camp in Eastern Kenya . Armed conflicts also have indirect negative consequences that affect agriculture , livelihoods , infrastructure , public health and welfare provision , gravely disrupting the social order . Research shows that these repercussions affect women more adversely than men . As noted by and ( 2006 ) while women typically live longer than men in peacetime , armed conflict decreases the gap between female and male life expectancy . Heavily or wars within failed states are significantly more damaging to women health and life expectancy than other civil wars . Women as Agents of War and Peace Women and girls are not merely victims of armed . They are active agents . They make choices , possess critical perspectives on their situations and organize collectively in response to those situations . Women and girls can perpetrate violence and can support violence perpetrated by others . They become active members of conflict because they are committed to the political , religious or economic goals

81 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State of those involved in violence . This can mean , and has meant , taking up arms in liberation struggles , resistance to occupation or participation in struggles against inequality on race , ethnic , religious or caste lines . Women and girls are also often active in peace processes before , during and after conflicts . Many women know the importance of peace processes and join a variety of efforts aimed at rebuilding the economic , political , social and cultural fabric of their societies . In 1991 , as the war in the Balkans was gaining momentum , Women in Black launched an antiwar campaign in the Balkans . In , as the tensions between and indigenous peoples were getting worse , leading to the coup that occurred in 2000 , women from both ethnic groups created the Blue Ribbon Campaign peace movement ( 2007 ) However , formalized processes of peace , including negotiations , accords and reconstruction plans , frequently exclude women and girls meaningful participation . Too often , women and girls actively involved in rebuilding local economies and civil society are pushed into the background when formal peace processes begin . Gains in Gender Relations Finally , women and girls may gain from the changed gender relations that result from armed conflict . They sometimes acquire new status , skills and power that result from taking on new responsibilities when male heads of household are absent or deceased . These changes in women roles can challenge existing social norms . Women participation in household , civil society and the local economy and their ownership of land or goods may be altered , sometimes although not always to their benefit .

Women in the World Today , extended version 82 Figure Bosnian Muslim women grieve among of victims of the 1995 massacre The remains were unearthed in 2010 . The massacre shattered lives of widows and families of the killed by Bosnian Serb troops in 1995 . The specific experience of women and girls in armed conflicts greatly depends upon their status in societies before armed conflict breaks out . Where cultures of violence and discrimination against women and girls exist prior to , these abuses are likely to be exacerbated during conflict . Similarly , if women are not allowed to be part of before conflict , it is usually extremely difficult for them to become involved in decisions during the conflict itself or the peace process and period . Thus , gender relations in situations as shaped by ethnicity , class , caste and age often set the stage for women and girls experiences and options during and after armed conflict . The international community is increasingly aware of and responsive to the impact of armed conflict on women and girls ( as shown , for instance , by the unanimous adoption in October 2001 of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 , which included the special needs of women and girls during repatriation and resettlement , rehabilitation , reintegration and reconstruction ) and the importance of their participation in peace processes and the period . Of paramount importance in any strategy to promote and attain women and girls rights during and after conflict is a , grounded understanding of how the conflict has affected different groups of women and their families . is a research director and associate professor at the International Center , Tufts University , where she lectures on women and children human rights , civilian populations , armed opposition groups , armed conflict and peacekeeping at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy . Author of four books , numerous articles and reports , she consults for governments ,

83 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State human rights and child protection organizations and UN . agencies to improve efforts to assist youth and women affected by armed conflict . She has worked in South Asia , the Balkans and Africa . PROFILE Helping Women Recover from War By Joanna Figure saw women suffering in . She responded by founding Women for Women International , which has brought hope to thousands of women in zones around the world . Charismatic and forthright , instantly grabs your attention . And that even before you see her resume or hear her compelling personal story . At age 41 , she is recognized around the world as the founder and chief executive officer of Women for Women International , a nongovernmental organization that helps women survivors of war to rebuild their lives . Over its history , Women for Women has distributed nearly 80 million in direct aid , loans and programs serving more than women worldwide . Known as a fierce and effective champion , travels constantly , working with local groups to secure women safety and economic prosperity in some of the world most devastated regions , including the Democratic Republic

Women in the World Today , extended version 84 of the Congo , and Afghanistan . Yet little in fairytale childhood could have foretold such a calling . Figure meets with women in . Growing up in the privileged precincts of Baghdad , she was the cherished daughter of an elite Iraqi family . Her early years were an idyllic blur of school and family outings , with lessons in piano and ballet . In her memoir , Between Two Worlds , published in 2005 , describes sunlit days of driving around in the family car alongside her mother , shopping , running errands , paying social calls As we drove along the boulevards lined with palm trees heavy with dates I took in my city through the window old Baghdad with its dark souk market where men hammered out copper and politics , and the new Baghdad with its cafes and Most everything learned in her early years , she writes , came through her adored mother . Life changed when she turned 11 , although it would be years before she could pinpoint the shift . Saddam Hussein assumed power and soon anointed father , a commercial aviator , as the ruler personal pilot . Increasingly , through teenage years , the family felt the effects of Saddam regime , both his patronage and his oppressive heel . She recalls halcyon weekends at Saddam compound , calling him Amo or Uncle , playing with his kids around the pool and , as she was constantly cautioned , willfully ignoring the fear and violence rising around her . Later , living in the United States , particularly after the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , that intimacy with Saddam would haunt her . I kept it a secret and told no one , she says . I was afraid if I told people I knew Saddam , my face would be erased and all anyone would see in me was Saddam .

85 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State When was 19 , her progressive mother suddenly announced that she arranged a marriage for to a much older Iraqi banker living in America . It was very painful , says . My mother had always told me not to depend on any man . She was passionate , adamant about it . Then all of a sudden I was being whisked away from home . I had no idea what she was talking Twenty years on , you still hear the hurt , the loss and indignation in voice . Dutifully , went off to be a bride in Chicago . And she landed in a nightmare . The man who was my husband turned out to be abusive , she says . When proved unbowed , he raped her . She walked out after three months . I had in my pocket , some designer clothes on my back and about 20 a week from family funds to survive , she says . It was 1990 and Saddam had just invaded Kuwait . After Operation Desert Storm was launched , there was no going home to Iraq for . Over time , she built a life in the United States . It was years before she saw her family again . And years after that , when her mother was ill and dying , that finally found the voice to ask why she been sent away . Saddam had his eye on you , her mother told her . The only escape route from becoming Saddam plaything was an arranged marriage on another continent . In 1993 , was living in Washington , remarried to a Palestinian student named , when she read a news story about the Bosnian war and rape camps where some women were raped . The couple decided to travel to to help . and returned to Washington determined to find a group that would provide aid for Bosnian rape victims . But none existed . 50 , still on a student budget , the couple founded their own organization , Women for Women , and began to help the women in the Balkans . By 2004 , now divorced , had expanded Women for Women to its international mission . Appearances on the Oprah Show , which draws millions of viewers , boosted both her profile and the organization as donations climbed . In the 15 years since arriving in the United States , became a prominent humanitarian and an women rights advocate , honored by President Bill Clinton for her work in . What hadn changed were her secrets about Saddam and her first marriage . On a trip to the eastern Congo that year , was interviewing a woman named , then age 52 . Rebels had raped and her three daughters . There were so many she said she couldn tell how many were around and how many had raped her , says , remembering . asked whether she wanted her story kept quiet . Instead , says , she said , If I could tell my story to the whole world , I would , so other women would not have to go through what I ve gone through . So you go and tell my courage and her resilient conviction pushed into breaking her own silence . Owning her past also has changed the way works . Before , I be the humanitarian worker with connections and aid interviewing other women . Now , I am their equal . I not there to save anyone . I actually am one of the women I trying to Joanna is a multimedia journalist and speaker whose work has appeared in the New York Times , Worth , Money and Town Country and on and . She is the author of The Guide to Intelligent Giving and founder of the Women Giving Institute , an organization that educates donors about strategic philanthropy . PROJECT Female Peacekeepers Smash Stereotypes By Bonnie Allan

Women in the World Today , extended version 86 Since its groundbreaking deployment in 2007 , India has sent four police units to , each serving a rotation . Their success in the postwar country has inspired other nations to defy tradition and deploy more female troops in peacekeeping roles . Five days after an elaborate marriage ceremony in southern India , traded her red silk sari for a blue camouflage police uniform and flew to the West African country of . The young bride is serving in one of the world few police units deployed to a United Nations peacekeeping mission . In India , we are quite traditional with these things . My husband , he was against it , admits , who had never before traveled outside India . The trained police officer gave her future husband an ultimatum . I told him , If you permit me to go on this mission , I will marry Now , life is anything but traditional . She is helping to change the face of international policing in a country . Since its groundbreaking deployment in 2007 , India has sent four Female Formed Police Units ( to , each serving a rotation . More than 100 female police officers trained in crowd control and conflict resolution make up the at any one time . They are supported by about two dozen men who serve as drivers , cooks and logistical coordinators . The is primed for rapid response to any violence that might erupt in this country of million , which still lacks a strong army or armed police force . Two bloody civil wars , between 1989 and 1996 , and again from 1999 to 2006 , killed about , displaced hundreds of thousands more , traumatized women with rampant sexual violence , destroyed infrastructure such as schools , hospitals and roads , and corrupted the justice system . Eight years after the war ended , almost peacekeepers help maintain the fragile peace . The greatest deed is to protect humanity . I got this chance , and I thought , I want to live this , The Female Formed Police Unit is a symbol of progress for Security Council Resolution 1325 on women , peace and security , which stipulates that peacekeeping missions support women participation in peace building . says

87 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State Figure A member of the United Nations first peacekeeping force stands guard with fellow officers after arriving at the , airport . The United Nations ultimate goal is gender parity in the civilian , military and police sectors , but , globally , women make up just percent of roughly police and only two percent of military police . India has scored high marks for pioneering an police unit , serving alongside other female officers from and elsewhere , in a country that boasts Africa first female head of state , Ellen Johnson . By day , the Indian police officers stand in the hot sun guarding the president office , and , by night , they patrol areas of the capital , As the rain trickles down on the dark streets of Congo Town , sits in the back seat of a police vehicle with her hair tucked inside a blue beret and a pistol strapped to her waist . Beside her , holds an and peers out the window . Their job is to protect National Police ( officers , who are not armed , as they patrol to

Women in the World Today , extended version 88 deter armed robberies and rape . Most of the violent crimes are at night , and the criminals use weapons , says Commander Gus Hallie . So , with our counterparts on our side , with arms , we feel we can battle with As they patrol , the police observer and the officer joke that Indian women are smiles , pleased , but she explains why she is a good peacekeeper . Women are not aggressive . We come in a polite way . This presence can maintain the peace . We are loving by There are many stereotypes attached to female peacekeepers more nurturing , more communicative , less intimidating . The label that makes Contingent Commander Usher Kiran cringe , though , is I don think there is a difference between female and male , says Kiran , a police veteran , as she sits under a poster of Mahatma Gandhi . If you are putting on the same uniform , you are doing the same duty , you are having the same authority as the Where we found a difference between male and female peacekeepers is in their perceptions of their role , explains the gender adviser in , Carole Doucet . The women see themselves as more broadly involved in the Doucet says the female police , known as blue , have inspired Liberian women to join the national police force . In 2007 , only six percent of police were women . Today , that proportion has risen to 15 percent , with roughly 600 female officers . The Indian women also sponsor an orphanage , teach and computer classes to local women , and despite limited English reach out to survivors of sexual abuse . I can be scared to talk to a man , whispers a rape victim , who can not be identified , at a safe home for girls in . A woman is better . She is like an auntie or mother .

89 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State Figure 57 Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton greets a peacekeeper in . Clinton has strongly supported Liberian President Ellen Johnson in promoting democracy and development . In 2010 invested more than 11 million in programs for women empowerment . India unit has inspired and to create their own , while countries such as and also are ramping up their female troop contributions to missions . Back at the Indian headquarters in , talks to her new husband over the Internet , using a webcam , for at least an hour every day . Although she a little homesick , says she is proud to follow in the footsteps of other courageous women in India history . Many freedom fighters were ladies fighting for justice . Fighting for good Bonnie Allan is a freelance journalist working in , West Africa . She worked as a journalist in Canada for more than a decade and holds a master degree in international human rights law from the University of Oxford . Multiple Choice Questions Questions . Examples of violence against women during armed include

Women in the World Today , extended version 90 . Rape Forced marriage Forced impregnation Torture All of the above . Reasons for women vulnerability during armed mentioned in the chapter include . Women may be viewed as of the enemy due to their maternal responsibilities . Indirect negative consequences on agriculture , welfare provision , and infrastructure , which research shows has disproportionate impacts on the lives of women . Many women lose their government positions as the state disintegrates . The gap between male and female expectancy increases . Both A and Women may also be active agents in through actions such as Taking up arms in struggles Involvement in mechanisms during peace processes . Occupying a higher position of power in periods Working to ensure that their social and household roles are not changed by periods of . All of the above Which United Nations Security Council Resolution ( included the importance of women participation in peace processes and the period ?

UN Resolution 1333 UN Resolution 1325 UN Resolution 589 UN Resolution 1034 . None of the above Women for Women International was founded by Jolie Pitt Hillary Clinton Shiva . None of the above 91 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State . was motivated by which to create Women for Women International ?

Bosnian War Civil War Gulf War Somali Civil War . None of the above . The first Female Formed Peacekeeping Unit ( was assembled by Canada United States Germany India South Africa . Some stereotypes of female peacekeepers include More nurturing More communicative Less intimidating All of the above . None of the above . The country that produced Africa first female head of state is . None of the above 10 . According to the chapter , which is an accurate difference between male and female peacekeepers ?

Female peacekeepers are less intimidating Male peacekeepers have more physical strength . Female peacekeepers are likely to view their role as more community oriented Male peacekeepers are less nurturing . All of the above 11 . In 2007 , what percentage of Liberian peacekeepers were women ?

Women in the World Today , extended version 92 20 15 10 . 12 . What other countries formed or increased their female presence in peacekeeping missions after India first delegation ?

Canada , Australia , New Zealand , and Portugal , and Brazil , Russia , Argentina , and Britain China , Japan , Korea , and Singapore . None of the above Answers . The correct answer is ( all of the above ) Both answers A and are correct . Women may be viewed as producers of the enemy due to their maternal responsibilities ( answer A ) and are indirectly affected by damages to agriculture , welfare provision , and infrastructure ( answer ) The chapter does not mention that women lose government positions ( answer ) and because women on average live longer than men , the gap between male and female life expectancy decreases when women are adversely affected by armed conflict , rather than increasing ( answer ) The correct answer is All the answers are attested as ways women assert agency in periods of conflict , although none are universal . Women may commit violence during conflict for various reasons , although in other situations they may avoid armed conflict ( answer A ) Women are sometimes involved in peace processes ( answer ) but are too often pushed to the side . Women may occupy higher positions of power in situations , but this depends on many factors , notably their position of power prior to when the conflict began ( answer ) The role of women in their societies may change during , or remain relatively similar , but neither is guaranteed ( answer ) The correct answer is Resolution 1325 ( answer ) 1333 called for a ban on all military assistance to the Taliban and closure of its camps in the year 2000 ( answer A ) 589 condemned the oppressive politics of South Africa apartheid system in the year 1985 ( answer ) UN Resolution 1034 discussed violations of international humanitarian law in the former Yugoslavia ( 1995 ) answer ) The correct answer is ( answer ) Angelina Jolie Pitt ( answer A ) is an American actress who was appointed Special Envoy in 2012 . Hillary Clinton was the 2009 2013 Secretary of State and 2016 presidential candidate for the Democratic Party ( answer ) Shiva is an Indian scholar , activist , and all around environmentalist ( answer ) The correct answer is Bosnian War ( answer A ) The correct answer is India ( answer )

93 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State . The correct answer is all of the above ( answer ) The correct answer is ( answer ) 10 . Answer is correct . Doucet , the UN gender adviser in , stated that the women involved saw their role as more broadly involved in the community . 11 . The correct answer is ( answer A ) 12 . The correct answer is India unit has inspired and to create their own , while countries such as and have ramped up their female troop contributions . How are women specifically vulnerable during periods of armed ?

What is the connection between armed conflict , failed states , and violence against women ?

Is a strong state needed to ensure that women rights are protected ?

Look beyond the chapter to find some examples of women active involvement in combating violence against women . Please use examples from both the global South and the global North . Are there any challenges posed by the global influence of Western or American women rights organization ?

What are the strengths and limitations of Resolution 1325 in increasing the role of women in peacekeeping ?

Please offer an example of when and where Resolution 1325 was used . Outside research ) What would be some explanations for why a peace process did not lead to a situation which improved the status of women ?

Essay Questions . How are women specifically vulnerable during periods of armed ?

What is the connection between armed conflict , failed states , and violence against women ?

Is a strong state needed to ensure that women rights are protected ?

Look beyond the chapter to find some examples of women active involvement in combating violence against women . Please use examples from both the global South and the global North . Are there any challenges posed by the global influence of Western or American women rights organization ?

What are the strengths and limitations of Resolution 1325 in increasing the role of women in peacekeeping ?

Please offer an example of when and where Resolution 1325 was used . Outside research ) Women in the World Today , extended version 94 . What would be some explanations for why a peace process did not lead to a situation which improved the status of women ?

Additional Resources Bacon , Reform Improving Representation and Responsiveness in a Journal of International Peacekeeping , 372 397 ( 2015 ) Explores efforts by the Liberian National Police to enhance training to address sexual and violence and increasing female officers . A . Shelly , A . Female UN Peacekeepers an sight . Guardian . 2015 ) the progress made on realizing the United Nations Security Council Resolution , Indonesian Women Empowerment in a ( 2011 ) TED Talk about women active protection of the family , organizing across ethnic and religious lines , and grassroots involvement in the peace process in Indonesia . Western Representation of Third World Women A Comparative Study of till ( Sweden ) and Women for Women International ( USA ) University West . 2016 ) Lecture The Protection of Civilians and Protection of Peacekeeping Mandates Gender and Ethics in Collective Feminists Law ( 2015 ) Critiques the UN Security Council Resolutions on Women , Peace and Security to illustrate how feminist ethics are used to justify new methods of violence . A Long Road Ahead Integrating Gender Perspectives into Peacekeeping . 2014 ) Examines gender norms and perspectives that have led to gaps implementing UN Resolution

95 Bureau of International Information Programs , United States Department of State , Leaders Against All Odds Women Victims of Conflict in Communications , 11 ( 2016 ) Highlights the capacity of women who have been Victims of Violence to be agents of peace and reconciliation . Sinclair , The Status of Women Police Officers An International Review . International Journal , Crime and Justice 41 ( 115 131 ( 2013 ) Reports on a survey on the status of women police officers from 23 locations globally . United Nations Peacekeeping . Gender and Main United Nations resource with further information on gender and peacekeeping .