The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

Somali women used all kinds of creative excuses to resist this forced sep -
aration, increasing interaction with each other. Whenever women were
stopped and interrogated about their frequent crossing to the other side
of the city, they often used convincing excuses such as borrowing salt,
sugar and other food items from relatives and friends. Women crossed
the green line to check on other women, to collect information on the
impact of the violence, and to deliver goods to those who were affected
by the violence. They were also able to organize protests opposing the
separation of the capital.
The way forward
The search for a lasting solution to Somalia’s protracted statelessness
and militarized violence now continue for twenty years. The people of
Somalia continue to lack access to essential services and state protection,
and still, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Instead of relying
on an approach that addresses the root cause of the conflict, the
preferred approach – preferred, too, by the international community –
towards state and peace-building has remained a military one, an approach
which has failed. There is need to move away from a top-down,
male-dominated and militaristic approach and start relying on non-militaristic,
participatory, gender-inclusive, bottom-up approaches, which will
heal the deep wounds of the war and address the immediate needs of
the population. I argue that the current approach is undemocratic and
relies on military force, which not only exacerbates the insecurity of the
war-affected population, but also prolongs the violence. The current political
insecurity and humanitarian crisis in Somalia urgently demand the
adoption of alternative approaches that emphasize reconciliation, participation
and gender inclusivity, and takes into account the people’s
views. In order to build a genuine and sustainable peace in Somalia, it is
paramount to avert the return of patriarchy, and to promote gender equality
in all stages of building-peace in Somalia. The international community
needs to channel more resources to tackle chronic unemployment,
revive livelihoods, and alleviate poverty, marginalization and corruption.
Despite the effects of the civil war and the collapse of the state, Somali
women emerged as important actors for their families and communities.
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