www.newsandletters.org
|
|
NEWS & LETTERS, February-March 2006Women as peacemakersWomen have proven, in a variety of conflicts in a wide range of countries and cultures, their ability to bridge overwhelming divides. So why aren’t more women included at the peace table? This is not a sexist divide. Extraordinary men have changed the course of history with their peacemaking. But women are the most powerful voice for peace in times of conflict. Is it because women have a biological, innate gift? I would argue this is not the case. First, men usually come straight from war to the negotiating table. They often can't step back and scrutinize the situation logically. Women, usually excluded from planning and executing violence, often come to the peace table from their homes, focusing on family care and the safety of their community. A British participant in the Northern Ireland peace talks noted, for example, that when the parties became bogged down by abstract issues and past offenses, "the women would talk about their loved ones, their bereavement, their children and their hopes for the future." These deeply personal comments reminded the parties that security for all citizens mattered. Second, because our voices have been ignored, women have turned to self-organized, grassroots methods of change and are often at the center of non-governmental organizations, popular protests, electoral referenda and other citizen-empowering movements. This ability to transcend conflict and connect with other women was created through necessity. Third, though social science supports the stereotype of women as generally more collaborative than men and more inclined toward consensus and compromise, I balk at this claim, viewing it as a reason we are relegated to more passive "women’s" work. I believe that women's status as second-class citizens has made them adept at finding ways to cope with problems. The key reason behind women's marginalization may be that everyone recognizes just how good they are at forging peace. A UN official stated that in Africa, women are often excluded from negotiating because the leaders "are afraid the women will compromise." In reality, many rulers don’t want the wars to stop. Women know that the goal is not merely the absence of war, but the creation of a sustainable peace by fostering fundamental societal changes. Women, who are often the real victims of war, understand this in a deep and personal way. Lasting peace must be homegrown. --Anna M., Memphis |
|
Home l News & Letters Newspaper l Back issues l News and Letters Committees l Dialogues l Raya Dunayevskaya l Contact us l Search Published by News and Letters Committees |
