Gender issues, insurgency and violence in Nigeria, implications on sustainable development for women

Abstract

Gender inequality is a source of conflict. Evidence suggests that high levels of unequal power relations and gender issues are associated with risks of war, insurgency and violence. Nigeria in past and recent times have experienced insurgencies and violent conflicts that affected women negatively especially in rural communities. Understanding these allows us to identify, direct and change the root causes of conflict in our communities. Gender integration into conflict analysis can increase the effectiveness of peace building interventions. This paper therefore examines gender issues, insurgency and violence in Nigeria, implications on sustainable development for women. It is a qualitative study that relied on secondary data. It is situated on a combination of Frustration-Aggression and Cognitive Dissonance theories. The findings revealed that the socio-political and economic landscape in Nigeria is inundated with conflicts which have radically affected women's ability to effectively contribute to sustainable development and peace building in communities. Furthermore, Nigeria security situation has significantly deteriorated creating economic hardship for majority of women in rural communities. Based on these findings, the paper recommends that Peace and Conciliation Resources be re-focused on how women become associated with conflict, their roles and ways they can be used for peace building and sustainable development.

Keywords: Gender Issues; Insurgency and Violence; Sustainable Development for Women; Nigeria