Africa: Involve Women in Conflict Resolution, Says UN Report on Gender Violence

November 6, 2007 – (AllAfrica) Armed conflicts, sexual violence against women is often used as a weapon of war, both to dishonour the woman and the enemy, says a new report on armed conflict that was released in Nairobi last week.

Women should, therefore, be included in talks on peace and security because their experience of war is different from that of men, it says. The report, titled Guns and Roses: Gender and Armed Violence in Africa, was the subject of discussion during an African regional meeting on armed violence and development in Nairobi, last week.

"In Sierra Leone and Uganda, for example, rebel commanders forcibly recruited or took young women as "wives" and in Algeria, women were seen as a legitimate target and part of the 'war booty,'" it said.

The report is a joint effort by the governments of Kenya, Switzerland and the United Nations Development Programme. Along with other reports from other regions of the world, it will constitute annexes to the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development. The Geneva Declaration recognises that the fight against the global scourge of armed violence and the prospects for sustainable development are closely linked.

It, therefore, calls for efforts to integrate armed violence reduction and conflict prevention programmes into national, regional and multilateral development frameworks and strategies. The report focuses specifically on the nature and extent of armed violence, including sexual violence, both during and after armed conflict as well as within the family set up, thereby illustrating the linkages between the various forms of gender violence.

Studies both in Africa and elsewhere show that it is not always possible nor desirable to separate women's experience of armed violence from other forms of violence, such as physical assault and sexual abuse - both in times of armed conflict and in the home.

The report also describes some of the interventions aimed at addressing the issue, ranging from UN resolutions to local community-based programmes. Although policy makers and UN agencies have paid more attention to the needs and concerns of women combatants over the years, the phenomenon of domestic or family violence has largely been ignored.

Armed conflict is a gender issue and women's experiences are different from those of men. They are central to determining women's particular needs and priorities in the post-war period and can include returning to their own community, access to essential services such as water and electricity, restoration of normalcy for their children and other family members, and specific healthcare needs such as treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV and Aids.

The creation of refugees and internally displaced persons are among the biggest direct impacts of armed conflict. This is a particular feature of armed conflict and war rather than of armed criminality, says the report. One of the most devastating impacts of displacement is the loss of access to land, property, jobs and traditional support structures. Others are the lack of access to health and social services, increased mortality and morbidity and increased food insecurity.

The report notes that one of the most common experiences for many women during times of armed conflict is the increase in their domestic burden coupled with an expanded economic role. For instance, in Southern Sudan, women have been forced to take on additional roles usually reserved for the men or young boys of the family such as having to sow and cultivate fields, brew and sell beer, and trade goods in the market place.

Although many women maintain these extended roles once their men return from war, they often do not benefit from the concomitant social and economic power that goes with the increased responsibility. This burden is often carried over to the girl child in the family, resulting in interrupted schooling and social disruption.

Intimate partner violence is another common form of gender based violence, yet it is also one of the most hidden and subject to the social and cultural norms operating within a particular society. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council's counter-terrorism committee and more than 70 international organisations and other UN agencies held a three-day meeting in Nairobi to examine ways that countries can better secure their borders against terrorists and how the UN can help in the efforts.

The meeting focused on issues such as hindering the movement of terrorists across national boundaries, bolstering the ability of countries to detect illicit arms shipments and preventing the abuse of the refugee and asylum systems. The conference also stressed the need for stronger national efforts and greater bilateral and regional cooperation to deny safe haven to terrorists, improve border and Customs controls and enhance information.

From:http://allafrica.com/stories/200711060880.html