The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

The third stage, which I call warlords against warlords, the warlords and
their militias collided and waged deadly wars against each other, with
the civilians were once again caught in between. …
The fourth stage is that of radical religious groups vs. former colleagues
claiming to be non-radical; the latter are the current leaders of the transitional
government/ international peacekeepers. … The armed religious
groups constitute the new aggressors of the Somali war, who oppose
the TFG, its institutions and the overall international support for this administration.
… The civilians are caught in the crossfire between government
and AU forces and the religious opposition groups.” (Report, p.
140-142)
In all the areas affected by the Civil War, civilians, women and children
are trapped, and directly or indirectly drawn into the conflict. However,
the war affects young males most directly. “The warlords recruited
them in the name of their clans, and exposed them to an extremely dangerous
situation. They were given guns and khat to do the dirty job for
the warlords. ... They continue to be the most exploited and endangered
group in war-torn Somalia. With no security, state protection, livelihood
or educational opportunities, young Somali men continue to be targeted
by all the warring groups, and used to carry guns and serve as cheap
foot soldiers and as pirates.” (Report, p. 145).
Women and children are particularly affected by the militarized violence.
For over two decades due to the violence, they have been forced to flee
from their homes to internally displaced camps within Somalia and ref -
ugee camps in neighbouring countries. They have been subjected to sex -
ual violence and rape. Warring groups used rape as a weapon of war –
against women and girls belonging to ‘enemy clans’.
Nonetheless, women have committed themselves in many ways for
compromise and peace-building in Somalia. Informally, women who
lived in mixed-clan marriages, and who have not allowed themselves to
be separated by clan divisions, are often the most active. In addition,
they use a particular form of art in order to rally for peace.
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