Women and Combat: A Path to Equality?

Research into conflicts in Africa has demonstrated the numerous ways in which war can be disempowering for women, but rarely have questions been asked about how war can lead to empowerment and greater equality for women after their participation as armed combatants. Does participating as combatants leads to gains in equality for women, and, if so, how are these gains manifested? Asking such questions is not meant to argue that war is, therefore, a good thing for women. It does, however, challenge the prevalent mindset of viewing women as purely victims of war or agents of peace, both frameworks that deny women some of their agency and the totality of their experiences. The research presented here will contribute to a better understanding of the many and various roles women take in conflicts and how some women are able to carve out positive effects from devastating circumstances. Through an analysis of wars in 15 African countries from 1990 to 2007, I test my hypothesis that in developing countries, women’s participation as armed combatants in these conflicts will, once the conflict has ended, lead to greater gains in gender equality in their countries than in post-conflict countries where women did not participate as combatants. In my definition of ‘gender equality’ I examine maternal mortality, women’s participation in government, labor force participation, and adolescent fertility. By examining such factors, I will be able to glean a more thorough understanding of exactly how equality has or has not changed for women post-conflict