A Gendered Perspective of Post-Confl ict Reconstruction African Women in Peace-building

Abstract

This article examines the gendered approaches to post-confl ict reconstruction, which not only focuses on women as victims of war and patriarchy, but also explores how violent confl ict transforms gender relations. The article explores stereotypical interpretations of gender and how these impact on our understanding of the diverse roles and needs of African
women during and after violent confl ict. Gender mainstreaming is proposed as a strategy for highlighting and correcting the gendered aspects of violent confl ict. The implementation of gender mainstreaming will require political will and leadership if it is to be successful in bringing African women into decision-making processes in post-confl ict contexts.