The Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Girls - UNFPA

Post-conflict regions have not effectively addressed violence publicly or
institutionally. Divorce has historically been an institutional euphemism for
permissible violence that did not exist publicly, since women would live with
violence as integral to social and moral orders. Women accepted this as equally
as men did. Social and moral orders were established long ago by men in the
post-conflict regions and survived, in large part, because women were
accomplices to them. Men have been predisposed to abuse women and children
which, in turn, has reinforced violence in marriage as a common law practice and
unspeakable moral right. With fathers perpetuating domestic violence, its cycle
continues through generations and continues through husbands and boys.
Gender
Gender issues are more complicated. Definitions vary and are frequently
confused with women’s issues relating to equality and equity. <strong>The</strong> concept <strong>of</strong>
gender implies more than merely women’s equality and equity, however. In
addition, for the purposes <strong>of</strong> the meeting at the United Nations discussion on
gender empowerment, development and policy implications, the framework will
reflect a gender-focused discourse. Gender perspectives and practical
standpoints will be kept in focus while addressing diverse forms <strong>of</strong> violence, such
as sexual abuse, physical and psychological violence, organizational violence,
and others. With regard to violence, issues concerning different regional habits
and practices will be addressed. A consideration <strong>of</strong> violence through a genderspecific
lens, however, involves much more than merely understanding the
consequences and implications <strong>of</strong> gender role expectations and stereotypes.
Empowerment, as opposed to participation, is a feminist vision <strong>of</strong>
development better suited to modern concepts <strong>of</strong> development. Many United
Nations conferences have advocated for women’s empowerment to be central to
development processes. One example is the ICPD in Cairo, in which the
population issue was discussed not only as a technical, demographic problem
but also as a woman’s empowerment choice in the context <strong>of</strong> her health and
reproductive rights.
This does not mean that men should be omitted from empowerment
processes. On the contrary, gender equality discourse embraces the involvement
<strong>of</strong> both men and women in organizations and movements. In the mainstream
development discourse, however, empowerment focuses on entrepreneurship
and self-reliance and not on challenging power structures which subordinate
women. To challenge power structures, women have the task <strong>of</strong> conceptually
developing “power within” rather than “power over” in community settings.
“Power within” refers to increased self-esteem, awareness-raising and
confidence-building. “Power over” reflects direct confrontation and conflict
between the powerful (largely men) and powerless (mainly women).
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