| Summary |
| Title |
Women and Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Issues and
Sources |
| Author |
Sorensen, B. |
| Publication Date |
January1998 |
| Publisher |
The War-torn Societies Project, United Nations Research
Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) |
| Summary |
Women are not just victims of war but are actively
involved in the rebuilding of countries emerging from armed conflict
as well as shaping post-war social structures. However factors such
as a lack of resources and capacity can reduce their participation
in reconstruction processes. They are often excluded from formal peace
negotiations. These processes also have an impact on gender roles.
For example women"s issues are often included on the political agendas
of liberation movements so raising awareness about women"s rights.
However gains can be short lived as governments fail to understand
how to incorporate gender concerns into policy or how to counter existing
social norms associated with different gender roles. Women also have
to fight harder for resources that have dwindled during crises, such
as land. Women often have to diversity their livelihoods particularly
if they have lost male members of the household but again access to
paid employment is often more limited for women than men. Studies
on the rehabilitation of social services suggest that even though
women"s needs and rights are increasingly recognised officially, women
continue to be discriminated in access to education. Women are often
actively involved in rebuilding social services, however such work
is generally viewed as an extension of their domestic duties and therefore
not remunerated or developed through training. Women, however, possess
different resources and capacities to influence post-conflict reconstruction.
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