LSE: Gender in Conflict-Affected Regions

Sexual and gender based violence appears to be rife in present-day conflicts. In Africa but also in other regions around the world rape has become a deliberate and consistently applied strategy to demoralize and subjugate individuals or groups of individuals. Men may also fall victim to this particular form of violence, for instance in the military where sexual violence may be used to enforce hierarchical order. Gender, in other words, is an important factor in warfare and therefore in achieving stability in conflicted areas. This series explores which role notions of masculinity and femininity have played in the conflict and whether they may promote or jeopardize peaceful solutions. In particular, we look at local initiatives that have increased security for women (and men) in post-conflict situations.