Connect with us

News

Anniversary of peace deals in Nepal and Colombia: Views on female ex-soldiers need to be challenged

Published

on

Born as a self-defence peasant group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was fighting against the state for almost 60 years. After five years of negotiations, the FARC signed a peace agreement in La Havana on Nov. 24, 2016. (File photo by Boris Arenas – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

November sees the anniversary of two peace deals — on Nov. 21, Nepal’s agreement reaches its 15th anniversary and on Nov. 24, Colombia commemorates its fifth anniversary of the La Havana Peace Deal. In both armed conflicts, women actively participated in combatant roles, challenging gender norms. But what are female ex-combatants experiences when they return to civilian society?

The number of women joining armed groups has grown significantly recently. Research shows that some of the armed groups’ ideologies (egalitarian, liberation, equality and justice) resonate with women’s personal aspirations, motivating them to participate.

In leftist insurgencies, women are often offered critical roles, such as holding guns, conducting military attacks or commanding troops, typically considered men’s roles. When female militants take up arms, it challenges gender roles for both ex-combatants and non-combatant women.

Despite this, they experience social and political setbacks during the transition to peace. Our research in Nepal and Colombia looks at female ex-combatants’ reintegration in post-war contexts.

Female ex-combatants’ reintegration in Nepal and Colombia

Reintegration starts after disarmament and demobilization: it is a final and crucial stage where combatants transit to non-combatants and “re-embody” civilian values and norms.

Nepal and Colombia have experienced armed conflicts rooted in inequalities and poverty. Nepal faced a decade of civil war (1996-2006) as Maoist rebels sought to end 240 years of monarchy and establish a democratic republic.

Born as a self-defence peasant group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) was fighting against the state for almost 60 years. After five years of negotiations, the FARC signed a peace agreement in La Havana on Nov. 24, 2016.

Both groups aimed at ending oppressive structures. The Maoists’ war had a strong emancipation agenda. The FARC mobilized its ideology in defence of the poor and advocated for the inclusion of women as combatants. Estimates suggest that women made up 30–40 per cent in both insurgencies.

Nepal’s reintegration process started in 2006, and concluded in 2012. In Colombia, the FARC surrendered all weapons to the UN Mission of Verification in June 2017, reintegration is ongoing.

Reintegration is a gendered phenomenon — women, men and LGBTQ+ people experience it differently. In fact, research on gender and disarmament and demobilization offers several findings, two of which we want to highlight for their importance.

First, disarmament and demobilization programs are gender blind “one size fits all” policy that fails to consider the diverse needs of ex-combatants. Second, female ex-combatants are accepted in wartime and neglected post-war.

Unkept promises?

In Nepal’s and Colombia’s armed conflicts, female ex-combatants fulfilled roles equal to men. They were combatants, doctors, nurses, strategists, planners and political activists. Despite this, inclusive reintegration and promises of transforming gender inequalities remain elusive.

Nepal’s reintegration program was gender blind and entailed false promises. For example, one of the reintegration programs was to integrate Maoist ex-combatants into the Nepali Army. Many mothers wanted to opt for this program, but couldn’t participate in the interview process because of care work and difficulties travelling with children. Reintegration policy neglects systematic barriers that work against women and penalizes them.

In order to avoid “trading weapons for cooking pots,” Colombian female ex-FARC have been exchanging knowledge with ex-combatants in other countries. They have been able promote gender equality in many central aspects of reintegration: land access, women’s political participation and “gender-specific psychosocial support.” They have also proposed their own feminist agenda, with “insurgent feminism.”

Now, five years after La Havana, much of this work has been diminished. While some women have been able to participate in politics, gain new skills and educational training, many others have experienced depoliticization and increasing individualization. Some admit to not feeling reintegrated.

Women in post-war settings

Female ex-combatants’ reintegration illustrates that women are visible during war and invisible during peace. In many cases, they face “triple” rejections: by their families and communities, political party and government.

The Nepal and Colombia peace agreements do not address female ex-combatants’ particular needs and fail to transform structural gendered inequalities. Gender, class, race, caste and ethnic-based discrimination are still widespread.

In both countries, many women joined violent armed conflict because they desired to live just and equal lives — they believed war could bring that change.

Despite progress on gender equality in both countries after signing the peace agreements, female ex-combatants are often left out.

In Colombia, our research shows an increase in gender-based violence among ex-combatants, even though female ex-FARC have proposed an extensive plan for their reintegration.

Many are caught between their willingness to participate politically and their fear of re-embodying gender norms they believe comes with reintegration.

What should be done?

We propose five recommendations for gender-inclusive reintegration:

  1. Women’s political agency post-war needs to be considered. The multiple facets of their political engagement should be assessed as well as how their skills learned during conflict can contribute to gender equity in peacebuilding. This means not erasing their insurgent identities but how those identities can be transformed.

  2. Reintegration programs should implement long-term action plans that provide women with sustained financial, health, education and psychological support. More work is necessary to establish solidarity and political connectedness between female ex-combatants and non-combatants to ensure post-war benefits for all.

  3. The reintegration program should assess the diversity of experiences of female ex-combatants and pinpoint a variety of responses concerning their political and economic participation after war.

  4. Views on female ex-combatants should be challenged: highlighting the difference between civil and military or victims and perpetrator have proven to reaffirm stigma of female ex-combatants and don’t favour their return to civil society.

  5. We recommend diversifying reintegration programs. Reintegration should account for the intersections of gender, race and class. It should also consider the intersections of geopolitics, embodiment and emotions in female ex-combatants’ transition to civilian society.The Conversation

Luna K.C., Postdoctoral Researcher, Women, Peace and Security at the Centre for International Peace and Security, Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University and Priscyll Anctil Avoine, Vinnova/Marie Curie Fellow – Researcher in Feminist Security Studies, Lund University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonxosofutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbethttps://bsport.fithttps://onbet88.ooohttps://i9bet.bizhttps://hi88.ooohttps://okvip.athttps://f8bet.athttps://fb88.cashhttps://vn88.cashhttps://shbet.atbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể thao 7m24h bóng đábóng đá hôm naythe thao ngoai hang anhtin nhanh bóng đáphòng thay đồ bóng đábóng đá phủikèo nhà cái onbetbóng đá lu 2thông tin phòng thay đồthe thao vuaapp đánh lô đềdudoanxosoxổ số giải đặc biệthôm nay xổ sốkèo đẹp hôm nayketquaxosokq xskqxsmnsoi cầu ba miềnsoi cau thong kesxkt hôm naythế giới xổ sốxổ số 24hxo.soxoso3mienxo so ba mienxoso dac bietxosodientoanxổ số dự đoánvé số chiều xổxoso ket quaxosokienthietxoso kq hôm nayxoso ktxổ số megaxổ số mới nhất hôm nayxoso truc tiepxoso ViệtSX3MIENxs dự đoánxs mien bac hom nayxs miên namxsmientrungxsmn thu 7con số may mắn hôm nayKQXS 3 miền Bắc Trung Nam Nhanhdự đoán xổ số 3 miềndò vé sốdu doan xo so hom nayket qua xo xoket qua xo so.vntrúng thưởng xo sokq xoso trực tiếpket qua xskqxs 247số miền nams0x0 mienbacxosobamien hôm naysố đẹp hôm naysố đẹp trực tuyếnnuôi số đẹpxo so hom quaxoso ketquaxstruc tiep hom nayxổ số kiến thiết trực tiếpxổ số kq hôm nayso xo kq trực tuyenkết quả xổ số miền bắc trực tiếpxo so miền namxổ số miền nam trực tiếptrực tiếp xổ số hôm nayket wa xsKQ XOSOxoso onlinexo so truc tiep hom nayxsttso mien bac trong ngàyKQXS3Msố so mien bacdu doan xo so onlinedu doan cau loxổ số kenokqxs vnKQXOSOKQXS hôm naytrực tiếp kết quả xổ số ba miềncap lo dep nhat hom naysoi cầu chuẩn hôm nayso ket qua xo soXem kết quả xổ số nhanh nhấtSX3MIENXSMB chủ nhậtKQXSMNkết quả mở giải trực tuyếnGiờ vàng chốt số OnlineĐánh Đề Con Gìdò số miền namdò vé số hôm nayso mo so debach thủ lô đẹp nhất hôm naycầu đề hôm naykết quả xổ số kiến thiết toàn quốccau dep 88xsmb rong bach kimket qua xs 2023dự đoán xổ số hàng ngàyBạch thủ đề miền BắcSoi Cầu MB thần tàisoi cau vip 247soi cầu tốtsoi cầu miễn phísoi cau mb vipxsmb hom nayxs vietlottxsmn hôm naycầu lô đẹpthống kê lô kép xổ số miền Bắcquay thử xsmnxổ số thần tàiQuay thử XSMTxổ số chiều nayxo so mien nam hom nayweb đánh lô đề trực tuyến uy tínKQXS hôm nayxsmb ngày hôm nayXSMT chủ nhậtxổ số Power 6/55KQXS A trúng roycao thủ chốt sốbảng xổ số đặc biệtsoi cầu 247 vipsoi cầu wap 666Soi cầu miễn phí 888 VIPSoi Cau Chuan MBđộc thủ desố miền bắcthần tài cho sốKết quả xổ số thần tàiXem trực tiếp xổ sốXIN SỐ THẦN TÀI THỔ ĐỊACầu lô số đẹplô đẹp vip 24hsoi cầu miễn phí 888xổ số kiến thiết chiều nayXSMN thứ 7 hàng tuầnKết quả Xổ số Hồ Chí Minhnhà cái xổ số Việt NamXổ Số Đại PhátXổ số mới nhất Hôm Nayso xo mb hom nayxxmb88quay thu mbXo so Minh ChinhXS Minh Ngọc trực tiếp hôm nayXSMN 88XSTDxs than taixổ số UY TIN NHẤTxs vietlott 88SOI CẦU SIÊU CHUẨNSoiCauVietlô đẹp hôm nay vipket qua so xo hom naykqxsmb 30 ngàydự đoán xổ số 3 miềnSoi cầu 3 càng chuẩn xácbạch thủ lônuoi lo chuanbắt lô chuẩn theo ngàykq xo-solô 3 càngnuôi lô đề siêu vipcầu Lô Xiên XSMBđề về bao nhiêuSoi cầu x3xổ số kiến thiết ngày hôm nayquay thử xsmttruc tiep kết quả sxmntrực tiếp miền bắckết quả xổ số chấm vnbảng xs đặc biệt năm 2023soi cau xsmbxổ số hà nội hôm naysxmtxsmt hôm nayxs truc tiep mbketqua xo so onlinekqxs onlinexo số hôm nayXS3MTin xs hôm nayxsmn thu2XSMN hom nayxổ số miền bắc trực tiếp hôm naySO XOxsmbsxmn hôm nay188betlink188 xo sosoi cầu vip 88lô tô việtsoi lô việtXS247xs ba miềnchốt lô đẹp nhất hôm naychốt số xsmbCHƠI LÔ TÔsoi cau mn hom naychốt lô chuẩndu doan sxmtdự đoán xổ số onlinerồng bạch kim chốt 3 càng miễn phí hôm naythống kê lô gan miền bắcdàn đề lôCầu Kèo Đặc Biệtchốt cầu may mắnkết quả xổ số miền bắc hômSoi cầu vàng 777thẻ bài onlinedu doan mn 888soi cầu miền nam vipsoi cầu mt vipdàn de hôm nay7 cao thủ chốt sốsoi cau mien phi 7777 cao thủ chốt số nức tiếng3 càng miền bắcrồng bạch kim 777dàn de bất bạion newsddxsmn188betw88w88789bettf88sin88suvipsunwintf88five8812betsv88vn88Top 10 nhà cái uy tínsky88iwinlucky88nhacaisin88oxbetm88vn88w88789betiwinf8betrio66rio66lucky88oxbetvn88188bet789betMay-88five88one88sin88bk88xbetoxbetMU88188BETSV88RIO66ONBET88188betM88M88SV88Jun-68Jun-88one88iwinv9betw388OXBETw388w388onbetonbetonbetonbet88onbet88onbet88onbet88onbetonbetonbetonbetqh88mu88Nhà cái uy tínpog79vp777vp777vipbetvipbetuk88uk88typhu88typhu88tk88tk88sm66sm66me88me888live8live8livesm66me88win798livesm66me88win79pog79pog79vp777vp777uk88uk88tk88tk88luck8luck8kingbet86kingbet86k188k188hr99hr99123b8xbetvnvipbetsv66zbettaisunwin-vntyphu88vn138vwinvwinvi68ee881xbetrio66zbetvn138i9betvipfi88clubcf68onbet88ee88typhu88onbetonbetkhuyenmai12bet-moblie12betmoblietaimienphi247vi68clupcf68clupvipbeti9betqh88onb123onbefsoi cầunổ hũbắn cáđá gàđá gàgame bàicasinosoi cầuxóc đĩagame bàigiải mã giấc mơbầu cuaslot gamecasinonổ hủdàn đềBắn cácasinodàn đềnổ hũtài xỉuslot gamecasinobắn cáđá gàgame bàithể thaogame bàisoi cầukqsssoi cầucờ tướngbắn cágame bàixóc đĩaAG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人爱游戏华体会华体会im体育kok体育开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育欧宝体育ob体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育开云体育开云体育棋牌棋牌沙巴体育买球平台新葡京娱乐开云体育mu88qh88
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle2 days ago

How To Do Christmas & Hanukkah This Year

Christmas 2024 is literally just around the corner! Here in Vancouver, we just finished celebrating Taylor Swift’s last leg of...

Lifestyle1 month ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle1 month ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle3 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle3 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...