The Role of Women in Post Conflict Peace building in Niger Delta

Abstract

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, passed in October 2000, emphasizes the crucial role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. It urges UN member states to recognize the gendered nature of conflict, especially to protect women from gendered violence in conflict, and to increase the involvement of women at all levels of decision making in conflict management, resolution and peace processes, asserting that full participation of women in peace processes can significantly contribute to the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security. With this resolution there has been an increase in peace agreements that contain references to women or gender, but this has not been complemented with a marked increase in women?s participation in formal peacebuilding processes. Women?s contributions and views remain largely excluded, marginalized or overlooked in peace processes (Moosa, 2013). In this thesis, the relevance of 1325?s call for gendered perspectives on violent conflict and peacebuilding will be explored in relation to the long-running conflict in the Niger Delta. There have been many analyses of the causes of the Niger Delta Conflict and of the attempts to resolve it, but this thesis looks at the Niger Delta conflict through gendered lenses, undertaking analyses of women?s experiences and involvement in the conflict, their relationship to existing formal conflict resolution attempts and, based on field research in the Niger Delta, a discussion of women?s potential roles in bringing a more sustainable peace to the Delta.