The Cost of Ignoring Gender in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations: A Feminist Perspective

Abstract

This article focuses on the cost of ignoring gender when analyzing conflict and post-conflict environments. It explains how a feminist perspective allows us to uncover hidden gender power relations and deconstruct the so-called gender-neutral approach in international relations. By highlighting the differential impact of war on women and men as regards security issues, we understand why the cessation of hostility is not always synonymous with peace for women. We also understand how patriarchy resurfaces after a war and marginalizes women who are mainly seen as powerless victims and sidelined in peace talks that promote a conservative return to the status quo ante bellum .