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1. Removing Obstacles to Women’s Participation at the Peace Table and in Politics

Author:
Pearl Karuhanga Atuhaire and Grace Ndirangu
Publication Date:
03-2019
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Women In International Security (WIIS)
Abstract:
Women who seek to participate in peace processes and political decision-making face many obstacles. To achieve sustainable peace and development, societies emerging from conflict must remove these obstacles. In so doing, they must recognize and prioritize that women are fully capable of active participation in all political processes. Women’s equal participation in leadership at every level and in every sector is imperative to eliminating gender-based violence, poverty and enabling sustainable peace. Across the globe, women are increasingly assuming political leadership. For example, Ethiopia elected a woman president in 2018, and half of the nation’s parliamentarians are women. In the Republic of Rwanda, women make up 78 percent of the representation in parliament.1 Leadership in politics and peacebuilding are linked. That is, women’s political leadership paves the way for women’s participation in peacebuilding processes and vice versa.
Topic:
Diplomacy, Gender Issues, International Cooperation, Peacekeeping, Women, and Negotiation
Political Geography:
Africa and Rwanda

2. Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Refugee Settings in Kenya and Uganda

Author:
Pearl Karuhanga Atuhaire and Grace Ndirangu
Publication Date:
03-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Women In International Security (WIIS)
Abstract:
The international community has taken a strong stance against conflict-related sexual violence, deeming it a war crime. However, international actors are paying scant attention to sexual- and gender-based violence (SGBV) in refugee settings. Urban refugee women and girls and those in refugee camps often grapple with SGBV in their countries of asylum, long after they have fled their homes and communities. Our research among refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo currently in Kenya and Uganda has unearthed a high incidence of SGBV against refugee women and girls. Research by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) indicates that one in five refugee and displaced women experience sexual violence. Many of the survivors often have no one to turn to for protection and resort to sex work and other risky means to survive. In this policy brief, we examine the extent of the problem, identify obstacles to progress, and recommend actions governments and humanitarian organizations can take to better protect refugees. In short, we argue that refugee settlements are not safe spaces for refugee women. Humanitarian officials, governments, and the international community must do more to address this problem.
Topic:
Gender Issues, Women, Gender Based Violence, Violence, and Sexual Violence
Political Geography:
Uganda, Kenya, and Africa