The Role of Igad in Facilitating the Participation of Women in Conflict Management: Case of Somalia, 1992 – 2006

Abstract

After the cold war, there was an increase in intra-state conflicts in many African countries. The proliferation of weapons into these countries led to conflicts over both scarcity and abundance of natural resources in many states. This study looks at the horn of Africa conflict region which falls under IGAD framework. The formation of IGAD partly was to find solutions for conflict management in its framework. Somalia in particular, is the concern in this study. The research is singling out the role of women in conflict management in this country which has experienced protracted violence for the last two decades. Many scholars have argued that, conflicts are endemic and they cannot be done away with. They can only be managed. In the decision-making on management of these conflicts, women have been largely left out and only viewed as victims. The feminist theorists, claim that women have an active role in conflicts, for this reason, this study strives to analyze and determine the extent to which women have participated in conflict management strategies in the framework of IGAD and Somalia in particular. The traditionalists have viewed conflict management as a reserve for men. Women have been out of the limelight and only viewed as victims. Somali community is known to be patriarchal and therefore their women have had minimum participation in conflict management in their country. Guided by the feminist theorists this study argues that women are both victims and actors of conflict. They hold that women just like men are potential makers and breakers of peace. Feminism embodies a variety of dissatisfactions with things – as they are - and a variety of visions about how they could be improved. This study seeks to establish the extent to which women in Somalia have been involved in peace processes. In this connection, the study examines the role of IGAD in facilitating women’s participation in advancing the regional agenda for peace.