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