Gender at the Heart of Conflict Analysis
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On the eve of Libya’s first democratic national election, Haja Nowara held a vigil in the square outside the courthouse in Benghazi, where she had spent many evenings supporting the revolution since early 2011. © samer muscati/hrw decembeR 2017 BRIEFING Building inclusive peace: Gender at the heart of conflict analysis In 2016, Saferworld launched its Gender analysis of conflict INSIDE toolkit1, designed to help peacebuilders integrate gender into conflict analysis, understand how gender influences n Integrating gender into conflict dynamics, and provide a foundation for designing conflict analysis gender-sensitive peacebuilding programmes. n Gender and land-related conflicts in Myanmar This policy brief shows how the toolkit reviews, experience and knowledge of n can be used in different ways by the contexts, and workshops conducted Applying a gender lens integrating gender into participatory in partnership with the Women’s Inter- to the Libyan conflict conflict analysis and research. It shares national League for Peace and Freedom analysis and findings resulting from (WILPF) and women’s organisations in n Analysing the Yemen combining the expertise of community- the two countries, and with funding conflict with a gender based organisations, women’s rights from WILPF and Oxfam. It also shares perspective groups, and international and peace- findings from similar literature reviews building organisations on gender norms and collaborative research on land n Conclusions and and conflict. The conclusions include confiscations in Myanmar and how they recommendations gender-sensitive conflict analyses of affected gender dynamics, conducted Yemen and Libya, based on literature with support and funding from Oxfam. • 2 | briefing Building inclusive peace: gender at the heart of conflict analysis Left, right and centre: integrating gender into conflict analysis Gender norms – the different expectations context to another, women and girls political and peacebuilding efforts, of how people of each gender should behave, are usually most affected by the power less has been done to understand how according to notions of masculinity and imbalance and gender discrimination gender norms and inequality in these femininity – are part of the fabric of all present in patriarchal societies – which contexts can fuel conflict, prevent it or societies and play an important role in tend to worsen during conflict. However, create conditions for peace and justice. determining how men, women, boys and the chaos of conflict often changes Building on existing research, we girls access services and rights, how much traditional gender roles and expectations, sought to gain a deeper understanding power they have over resources and how impacting men and women both of the links between gender norms and they can influence decision-making. positively and negatively, and creating conflict – as well as the application of In conflict-affected contexts, these norms opportunities to transform some of these our toolkit – through small sample 2 shape how men, women, boys and girls roles and the underlying norms that keep participatory research and analysis in are affected and how societies expect them them in place. Myanmar, Libya and Yemen. Our findings to participate in efforts to resolve conflict, Despite this potential, few conflict from Myanmar show the impact of land build peace and increase access to justice. analyses include gender in a systematic confiscation on masculinities and While conflict often has a devastating way, and there is limited evidence of how femininities and how this has affected impact on everyone it touches, men gender norms and inequality drive gender roles and norms, including how and women experience it differently in conflict or obstruct peacebuilding. people access justice. The Yemen and terms of violence, displacement, access Although existing research has explored Libya case studies analyse how gender to resources and political voice. Although the impact of violent conflict on gender norms and inequality fuel conflict and gender norms and roles vary from one roles and women’s participation in are transformed by it. A man who had his land taken outside his house in Mandalay. © saferworld/aung naing soe 3 | briefing Building inclusive peace: gender at the heart of conflict analysis Gender and land-related conflicts in Myanmar A nationwide ceasefire agreement was Women nearby their land that was signed in 2015 between the Government confiscated. There is now a sign that reads of Myanmar and eight ethnic armed “Government land. Do not trespass.” organisations (EAOs). As a result, © saferworld/aung naing soe communities – especially those in the southeast of Myanmar – have experienced some improvements in their situation, with a marked reduction in armed conflict and increased freedom of movement for civilians. Despite these improvements, the ceasefire is far from ‘nationwide’ in practice, with ongoing fighting continuing between the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s state armed forces) and several EAOs in northern Shan and Kachin states. In northern Rakhine State, counter-insurgency operations by the Tatmadaw have displaced over 600,000 people who have fled to Bangladesh since 25 August 2017. The international community has accused the Tatmadaw of severe human rights violations, with the US and UN suggesting that the ‘clearance operations’ in northern Rakhine State amount to ethnic cleansing. Saferworld has found that one of the most pressing and consistent concerns in many conflict-affected communities – both in ceasefire and non-ceasefire areas across Myanmar – are land confiscations. While the severe social and economic impacts of land confiscations are well known, their relationship with gender norms is less explored in existing research. Therefore, Saferworld, Hser Mu Htaw and Oxfam conducted participatory ReseaRCH METHodology IN MyanmaR research3 with a small group of men and We used participatory and qualitative methods for our research in Myanmar. women from eastern Bago Region and This took the form of two interactive research workshops over the course of four Kayin State in southeast Myanmar to days – one involving 12 men from Taungoo and surrounding townships in east explore the relationship between gender Bago and Thandaunggyi, and Leikto townships in Karen, and one involving twelve norms, land confiscations and access to women, also from Taungoo, Thandaunggyi and surrounding areas. In each group, justice. During two two-day workshops, participants were recruited by Saferworld’s partner Hser Mu Htaw – a civil society participants used exercises from Safer- organisation that works on development and peace issues in the Taungoo and world’s gender analysis of conflict toolkit Thandaunggyi areas. We conducted the workshop in English, Burmese, and to reflect on how land confiscations Sgaw Karen. affected gender norms, roles and ideals. All participants had directly experienced land grabs and already knew our They also discussed the ways in which partner Hser Mu Htaw, which enabled discussions to build on existing relationships gender norms, roles and behaviours and thus opened up discussions on sensitive issues around conflict and gender. influence how they access justice and 4 | briefing Building inclusive peace: gender at the heart of conflict analysis seek redress for confiscations. The income, cooking and cleaning), knows land. Men’s labour on the farm is there- conclusions in this section build on our right from wrong, and supports her fore valued more than women’s and they ongoing analysis of and research into husband in difficult times. Karen, Kayah also tend to lead formal interactions with these areas, a review of relevant and Bamar women respondents saw an institutions by paying taxes, registering literature, and programme work and ‘ideal woman’ as a good housewife who land and seeking agricultural loans. collaboration with in-country partners. is wise, faithful, polite, has good morals Myanmar law gives men and women and guides her family. They disapproved equal access to land ownership7 and legal of women who are too social or who recourse in the case of disputes. However, Gender roles and norms dominate their husbands. due to traditional gender norms, most An ‘ideal man’ is expected to show land use certificates are issued in the in Myanmar perseverance, bravery and leadership. name of the head of the household, Myanmar is a multi-ethnic country with an He should make plans for the future and who are mostly men. Communities often ethnic Bamar majority, where patriarchal generate financial and other benefits do not know that joint land titles are 8 structures dominate. The World Economic for his family. Women respondents possible. To reclaim lost land, claimants Forum’s Gender Gap Index 4 ranks emphasised the importance for an ‘ideal need documentation like a tax receipt or Myanmar 83rd out of 144 countries. man’ to be someone they and their family loan book, which women are less likely 9 Women’s economic participation and could depend on financially and for to have. opportunities rate relatively well,5 but guidance – someone who has good women constitute fewer than 10 per cent morals and who shows compassion. of national-level political leaders and are Men are seen as heads of households Gendered conflict mostly absent from local authorities and and should own farm land – the primary analysis and findings formal decision-making bodies related to means of providing for their families. land issues.6 Although both men and women