Social Science - Sociology Women disaster and conflict assignment
PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR GENDER- SENSITIVE CONFLICT ANALYSIS
Addressing common gender biases in conflict analysis will provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of the root causes, triggers and drivers of conflict, and enable more informed and eff ective action.
HOW PRACTICALLY?
• Recognizes that women and men, girls and boys, and gender non-conforming people may have diff erent experiences, opportu- nities and constraints due to gender norms in their society
• Analyses the unequal social, political and economic power dynam- ics between women and men within society and how these influ- ence opportunities and capacities for peace and security
• Relies on but goes beyond simply disaggregating data or assess- ing the gendered impacts of conflict; instead addresses underlying gender dynamics in society, including discriminatory or exclusion- ary practices, as part of addressing the root causes of conflict
• Emerged as a practice in order to address the persistent gender blindness in conflict analysis, which excludes women’s diff erent experiences, interests and needs, and which biases planning and response against women and girls
GENDER AND INCLUSIVE MEDIATION STRATEGIES
Gender-sensitive conflict analysis is the systematic study of the gendered causes, structures, stakeholders and dynamics of conflict and peace. It is conflict analysis with a gender lens.
Assess the diff erentiated impact of armed conflict on women, men and gender non-conforming people
Expand actor mapping to iden- tify the networks and knowledge that women, men and gender non-conforming people off er
Analyse the diff erent roles of women and men, from combat- ant to peacemakers, and how these have changed due to the conflict
Address how norms relating to masculinity and femininity drive or mitigate violence and inse- curity and challenge or create opportunities for peacemaking
Advance participatory analysis, including through consultations with diverse women’s groups and women peacebuilders
Draw on sex-disaggregated data (e.g. numeric representation in par- liament) and broaden data collection indicators (such as economic partic- ipation and maternal mortality)
INCLUSIVE MEDIATION STRATEGIES
GENERATE
COMMON PITFALLS: • Treating women or men
as homogenous groups • Limiting gender to a
single section in analysis (should also be main- streamed throughout)
• Assuming women are victims with narrow protection needs and not agents or actors in conflict
• Ignoring patriarchal power dynamics
• Undertaking conflict analysis as a one-off activity and not a lens through which evolving conflict dynamics are regularly updated and addressed
• Failing to integrate gender from the early stages of conflict analysis
Broader entry points for confidence
building
Stronger national ownership
Broader societal support
More sustainable peace
EXAMPLES FOR GUIDING QUESTIONS – INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
What are the prevailing views of the underlying causes of the conflict? Are there differences or similarities between women’s and men’s views and experi- ences in different groups, from combatant to peacemakers?
Who are the key actors in the conflict? Who are taking the lead in contributing to conflict? Who are taking the lead in contrib- uting to peaceful resolution of the conflict or humanitarian response? What is the gender composition of these key actors?
What types of violence are there and at what levels? Is there i.e. political violence and by whom, sexual and gen- der-based or conflict-related sexual violence, attacks on human rights defenders, physical or online harassment? Who are the perpetrators and the victims? Which groups of women and men are particularly at risk in this conflict setting?
Who is involved in the peace process and how? Are women represented and are gender issues addressed at each level? Which constituencies do the representatives in peace pro- cesses represent? Can address- ing women’s roles in the existing cultural and societal structures create opportunities for peace (i.e., supporting women’s grass- roots peace leadership, women’s access to land, etc.)?
KEY COMPONENTS: 1. Analysis of actors and context
(gender aware actor mapping; power dynamics; key issues; causes and capacities)
2. Analysis of causes, evolving dynamics, and manifestations of conflict (gendered catalysts; escalatory or stabilizing factors; patterns and trends)
3. Analysis of gender dimensions of key thematic issue areas needed to achieve sustainable conflict resolution (gender and constitutions; security guaran- tees; DDR etc.)
4. Formulation of strategic choices and actionable recommendations about remedies and responses (that support rather than under- mine women’s participation, protection, and rights)