Gender and Violent Conflict: Proposal for an NWO Research Line

Gender and violent conflict
Proposal for an NWO research line

Committee

Prof. dr. D.J.M. Hilhorst (chair)
Wageningen University
Prof. dr. W.H.M. Jansen
Radboud University Nijmegen
Dr. M.T.I.B. Bollen
Netherlands Defence Academy
W.F. Scholte MD
Psychiatric Centre AMC/De Meren
Dr. D. Zarkov
Institute of Social Studies
M. Verwijk
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
I. Ter Laak
Ministry of Defence

The media daily report cases that show the interweaving of gender and conflict, ranging from child rape and murder, honour killings, family violence, sexual harassment of female soldiers, or gay bashing. Such violent incidences expose a structural gender inequality, even in peaceful circumstances in the Netherlands. A basic understanding of gender conflict in peacetime is needed to comprehend the workings of and consequences for gender in times of large-scale conflicts. Violent expressions of gender conflict are often exacerbated during armed strife and political conflicts: see the war rapes in Bosnia or Darfur, the sexual humiliation of male prisoners in Abu Ghraib, or the rise of prostitution among destitute populations. Moreover, the after-effects of a war may pose problems long after the peace treaty has been signed: how to deal with child soldiers who have to unlearn how to kill and rape, with mothers who have to raise children forced upon them, and with traumatized soldiers who vent their frustration on their wives or children. These cases reach the media, ask for attention and need a strategy of social action.

The meaning of gender in conflict has become a topic of academic and policy interest. Men and women have different roles in conflict and peace processes, are affected in different ways by conflict, and notions about manhood and womanhood as part of the ideological underpinnings of conflict are likely to change as a result of conflict. While the importance of gender is generally recognized, a lack of accurate data and refined insights that take into account gender differences between countries or regions, and between different classes, ethnic or age groups constrains the development of gendered policy. To enhance and refine present insights in gender and conflict, the Taskforce Women, Security and Conflict has suggested to the Netherlands Research Council (NWO) to develop a research programme on gender and conflict. The programme has been drafted in interaction with representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence. It is linked to the NWO Strategic Theme Conflict: Functions, Dynamics, and Cross-Level Influences.

This programme aims to deal with the meaning of gender in violence and times of conflict. By gender we mean the social and cultural ways of being and seeing men and women. A first level of gender concerns the social positions of men and women, and the question why their numbers differ in specific social roles. In this particular context, we may wonder for instance why their numbers differ among combatants, terrorists, peace negotiators (mostly male dominated), or among civilian casualties, internal refugees, or sexual victims (mostly female dominated). What do these differences mean for the course and the content of conflicts? What does it mean for the persons involved? How can resulting inequalities be changed? A second level of gender concerns the normative ideas of masculinity and femininity, how these change over time and impact on positions. Men killing female relatives for maintaining sexual relations without the family's approval or peacekeeping soldiers abusing local women are guided by specific ideas on proper femininity. At the same time, their behaviour is guided by their ideas on what constitutes proper manhood, which may include in these cases: honour and prowess. This raises questions of how violent conflict is informed by ideas of masculinity and femininity, and how gender notions may encourage or alleviate the type, extent or duration of violence used. A third level of gender refers to the conceptions people maintain about themselves as a (proper) man or woman. One's identity is partly dependent on one's social role and conformation to the social norms of gender. When these are disturbed in conflictuous situations, as when women are raped or made to prostitutes or when men are feminized by being raped, or by not being able to protect their kin this can lead to severe psychological trauma.