Working Title:

Gender and the Development of Peace

Dr. Lynda-ann BlanchardCentre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of SydneyOur Work, Our Lives Conference- Dili, Timor Leste, September 2011

The significance of gender in peace and

conflict studies What has gender got to do with peace ?

Feminist approaches to human rights

Nonviolence and the roles of women and men as agents of social change

‘Development’ as a context for the interplay between gender and peace

Peace, Gender and Development

A peace and conflict studies perspective – begins with the intersections between gender, development and peace –

and includes a critical analysis of the masculinisation of warfare and the feminisation of peace.

The phenomenology of militarism– some quotes “Throughout my time in the world of strategic analysis, it was hard not to

notice the ubiquitous weight of gender, both in social relations and in language itself. My goal was to develop a critique of dominant western concepts of reason in a discussion of the nature of nuclear strategic thinking – the metaphors are arresting” [Carol Cohen, 1987:688]

“Let’s explore the intimate historical and modern connection between manhood and nationhood: through the construction of patriotic manhood and exalted motherhood as icons of nationalist ideology; through sexualised militarism. [Joanne Nagel, 1998:242]

Refs: *Cohn, C (1987) "Sex and Death in the Rational World of Defense Intellectuals", Signs: Journal of Women and Culture and Society, Summer 1987.

*Nagel, J (1998) "Masculinity and nationalism: gender and sexuality in the making of nations", Ethnic and Racial Studies 2:1.

The phenomenology and political economy of militarism– some facts In 2005, James Wolfensohn, former Head of the World Bank said “The world

spends US$900 billion /year on defence and $50 billion per year on development, therein lies the problem.”

In 2010, Australia spent $61 million dollars per day on defence The Iraq War was called the 3-Trillion Dollar War, and this does not include the

human and environmental costs of destroyed lives and lands The US has approx. 1,000 overseas military bases, the largest collection of bases

in world history….

The phenomenology and social economy of militarism– some figures There are approx, 23,000 nuclear weapons in the world today (96% are in

the arsenals of Russia and the USA) The Lowy Poll on public opinion and foreign policy released last year

showed that 75% of Australians “somewhat’ or ‘strongly’ agreed that ‘global nuclear disarmament should be a top priority for the Australian Govt.

Women were more likely than men to agree – 84% compared with 65% Despite Winston Churchill’s decades old assertion “to jaw-jaw is always

better than to war-war”, only a fraction of Australia’s national budget is dedicated to diplomacy on nuclear disarmament or any other issue, compared to that dedicated to defence

Ref -- www. lowyinstitute .org/PublicationPop.asp?pid=1148Ref-- Carol Cohen, Felicity Hill and Sara Ruddick (2010), “The Relevance of Gender for

Eliminating Weapons of Mass Destruction” reachingcriticalwill.org/resources/books/BAC/text.html

Timor Leste….

The two warships are named Jaco and Betano and were commissioned into East Timorese service in late June 2010 at an estimated cost of US$34 million

East Timor Government budget papers show that the F-FDTL has been allocated funding of $US21.519 million for 2011

The phenomenology and social/political economy of violence– some facts

The face of global poverty is a feminine face Structural violence according to peace

theorists

Funding from Australia’s “Addressing Domestic Violence” fund was pilfered to fund Anti-terrorism measures – Direct violence against women

75 percent of the IDP in Nepal are women and children (Caritas, 2005) The unequal impacts of war on women

include indirect violence

Source: ekantipur.com

Challenging Norms Breaking through the “norm”

of masculinised definitions of security – or masculinisation of warfare

Brings to the surface human security– a feminisation of peace

Source: ekantipur.com

The Grameen Bank of Bangladesh

Addressing Structural Violence

14 million borrowers in Bangladesh

97% women Seek poorest of the poor as

clients Women are shareholders in

their bank Liberating women from

poverty, liberates children Changes gender inequalities

in broader community Diminishing patriarchy

Professor Muhammad Yunus, Founder Grameen Bank Sydney Peace Prize Recipient 1998; Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2008.

Aboriginal Night Patrols

Addressing Direct Violence

Began in by grandmothers in the Yuendumu community

Removal of alcohol induced male violence from community

So effective, police offered uniform and a patrol car

Women asked for police cooperation in exchange

Reconciling (dialogue and collaboration between) Indigenous/ Non-Indigenous relations

Ref: www.nt.gov.au/health/healthdev/health_promotion/bushbook/volume2/chap1/community.htm

Women for Peace Conference – Dili 2009

Addressing Cultural Violence

“Across the world women have increasingly gained a voice in the development of theircommunities reducing gender‐related barriers to opportunities. However, for women in many countries, culture remains the main constraint in efforts to reduce gender inequalities.

Women and men need to work together so peaceand development can progress, especially in post-conflict environments which impact onwomen’s access to education, jobs and decision-making.”

Ref: Women for Peace Narrative Report: 2nd International Conference 2009, pg. 3

The Alola Foundation—Timor Leste

The Alola Foundation was originally created (in 2001) to raise awareness of the widespread sexual violence against women and girls in Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor) during the militia attacks of September 1999.

The Foundation, today provides a wide range of vitally important hands-on support for the women and children of Timor-Leste.

(Alola Foundation website, August 2011)

Peacebuilding -- Creativity & ImaginationPolicy & Law

Weaving Women’s Stories— overcoming war

Village Theatre— confronting bride price

Justice for Women Survivors of Gender Based Violence—

Peace through Tourism in Timor – addressing youth under-employment and under-education

Women’s participation in the public sphere leads to economic, social and political empowerment

Pedagogy of Peace and Conflict Studies

“Is a shift from a system leading to chronic wars, social injustice and ecological imbalance to one of peace, social justice and ecological balance a realistic possibility? … what changes in social structure would make such a transformation possible?” [Riane Eisler, 1995:xiv].