The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

archy, superiority and gender inequality. However, the same regime that
outlawed clanism and its reliance, heavily used clans to divide and control
people. It used policies favouring certain clans over others and provided
more opportunities to certain groups over others, and this
perpetuated hatred, tension and inevitably paved the way for social and
political disintegration. Under military rule, Somalis were expected to
tot ally submit to the powers of a central state based in the capital, which
collided with Somalis’ loyalty to their clans. People resented the military
state’s push for loyalty and trust in the state over their clans. If they
handed over their complete trust and loyalty to a military state which
did not represent their clans and could not guarantee their interests,
they were considered to be undermining their own clan.
Colonial rulers also relied on violence to maintain their rule over the
people of Somalia. Such violence was intended to dissuade Somali men
and women from challenging and resisting colonialism. Those brave Somalis
who demanded their rights were dealt with violently and impris -
oned. The military government of Siad Barre relied on violence to remain
in power for twenty-one years. Somali opposition groups also used violence
to topple down the military regime, killing destroying and displacing
civilians. I argue that even today, violence remains the most pre ferred
tool, often used by armed groups opposing the current transitional gov -
ernment, and by the international community, who employ peace-keepers
to reconstitute the state and rebuild the war-ravaged nation.
Reliance on violence, be it by opposition groups as a means to oppose
the transitional state, or by the international community, to build peace
and the state, have failed to achieve a sustainable peace. Thus, there is
a need for an alternative approach to building peace and the state in Somalia.
It is pertinent that such approach be gender inclusive, participatory
and democratic, where all men, women and youth are involved in all
stages of peace and state-building during the recovery process.
Another negative effect of colonialism is that it perpetuated gender inequality
in pastoral and traditional Somalia. For instance, during colonial
rule, the colonial administrators, who were mostly men, relied on the
local colonized men to carry out their activities. Somali women did not
receive free education, training, or employment, as did some Somali
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