The Glass Ceiling of Conflict
Over the past few decades, the political landscape has seen a shift towards the inclusion of women in key positions. Leading this charge was Margaret Thatcher, the United Kingdom’s first female and most long-standing Prime Minister (1979-1990); Angela Merkel, Germany’s first female Chancellor (2005-2021). Parallel strides have been made all the way in Asia, with Tsai Ing-wen’s carving out of a distinct identity and presence for Taiwan during her time as the country’s first female president (2016- 2024). Closer to home and albeit short-lived, Kim Campbell holds the title of Canada’s first female prime minister. Most recently, the United States is witnessing an unprecedented time in history with female presidential candidates Hilary Clinton, and now, Kamala Harris.
While these milestones serve as a beacon of hope for women’s representation in politics, standing in juxtaposition is the omission of female input when addressing war and conflict.
This article looks to explore the nuances of this issue by employing contemporary examples of conflict in Ukraine, Gaza, and Yemen. All three cases underscore a common denominator: geopolitical conflicts, and any associated peace talks exclude women’s and girls’ experience and voices. This raises two fundamental questions. First, why do women and girls remain on the periphery for issues that disproportionately affect them? Second, and more concerning, can world politics take solace in the advancements in women’s representation when these stark realities threaten to impede meaningful progress?
The Importance of Conflict Prevention and Negotiations
Prior to, during, and post-conflict sees a multitude of interactions between factions and their leaders, aimed at diffusing tensions and reaching a middle ground. Historically, peace negotiation processes have been employed to put an end to brutal conflicts and mend relations going forward. The importance of peace processes and negotiations cannot be understated; they are a roadmap for determining the future.
Ukraine, Gaza, and Yemen: Distinct Conflicts United by Their Heedlessness for Women
In the arena of war, women and girls often bear the brunt of conflict, with their bodies and livelihoods being weaponized against them. Yet, as casualties of war, their plight is merely relegated to ancillary consideration in any discourse, as demonstrated by the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Yemen.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been long standing but came to a head in February of 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated air raids in Kyiv. News coverage has closely followed the many permutations of this conflict, centered on the analysis of statements made by respective parties, reporting of casualties, and predicted courses of action. Missing from the never-ending dialogue is the voice of female politicians, diplomats, and mediators whose insights should be considered. On the rare occasion that women are granted a role, theirs is one that can be best described as ceremonial. Consider Olena Zelenska who has engaged in efforts to acquire weapons and aid for Ukraine. While this is a noble endeavour, it is evident that Zelenska is merely a proxy for her husband. She is continually referred to as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s wife and is often relegated to duties such as meeting with other wives and appealing to emotional and arguably female-centric causes, such as the havoc wreaked on innocent children. It can be granted that given her lack of political experience, it is unreasonable to expect Zelenska to take on a major role on the world stage. However, the position she does have should be multidimensional, recognizing Zelenska as first, an advocate for Ukraine, and second, a wife and mother.
Clashes between Israel and Palestine can be traced back to the time of Israel’s inception as a state, with many becoming accustomed to the reality of conflict. The world was reminded of the severity of this conflict following Hamas’, a Palestinian militant group, attacks on Israel, on October 7th 2023, which further exacerbated tenuous relations between the two nations. Ensuing discussions focused on the resulting carnage, positions of various nations around the world, and calls for a ceasefire. Like the documentation of the war in Ukraine, coverage of the Israel- Palestine conflict is devoid of female involvement at higher levels and analysis of the gendered aspects of this issue.
The Yemeni crisis, in relation to its omission of both a gender perspective and representation of women and girls, tells a similar story to that of Ukraine and Gaza. The crisis, the result of a protracted civil war between the Yemeni government and a terrorist group called the Houthis, has been cited as one of the worst humanitarian crises to date. Once again, conversations predominantly detail the exchange between exclusively male parties; the actions of one, and the response of the other.
Conflict and War: One Experience for Men, Another for Women
When women and girls are referenced in international discussions regarding conflicts, the disparity of the effects to that of men is irrefutable. Women and girls suffer as a result of their sex; their bodies are used against them as sites of destruction. In spite of global condemnation of sexual and gender-based violence during wartime, its occurrence nonetheless persists.
This can be seen in Ukraine, where innocent female citizens are viewed as ‘spoils’ for soldiers to take; permitting sexual violence for their personal satisfaction and honour, and as a way of diluting the enemy’s lineage. Even worse, these incidents are often unreported, and leave survivors unable to receive necessary resources and support.
In Gaza, the sexual and gender-based violence is indiscriminate, it is perpetrated against both sides. There are countless reports of Palestinian women experiencing arbitrary detention, threats of and enactment of sexual assault. Equally unsettling is the barbaric sexual violence and killing of Israeli women and girls during the October 7th 2023 Hamas attacks. The nature of these acts exemplifies how women are targeted in ways that are gender specific; the callous sexual assault and mutilation of these women are designed to break them and their society, there is a difference in war tactics used for men.
There is an antithetical difference between the male and female experience of conflict. In Yemen, males face the risk of armed conflict, recruitment, and arbitrary detention. Females, on the other hand, are at greater risk for kidnapping, sexual and gender-based violence, and child marriage, in addition to escalating dire socio-economic issues.
These occurrences reinforce the contention that the ways in which women and girls experience conflict, and the ways that they suffer from conflict are inherently gendered and require more attention and action. These are not isolated experiences, having occurred for decades and in various conflicts around the world, reinforcing the need to acknowledge and incorporate these experiences in discourse and peace operations.
The Archetype of the Damsel in Distress
The apparent dichotomy between women’s representation within conflict, either relinquished to the background or the graphic reports of their abuse during conflict, contributes to a greater narrative of women and girls as virginal, helpless victims in need of male protection.
These stereotypes paint women under an intractable guise, leaving little room to address neither the root cause nor mechanisms to rectify the issue.
The omission of the female perspective from peacekeeping, negotiation, and mediation processes further serves to compartmentalize women as victims lacking the ability to take action. Women and girls are not feeble. This is not a Disney movie, women do not require any pity or misconceptions, they simply need the forum to advocate for themselves, and their needs.
The Battlefield: A Reconstruction of Masculinity
Feminist scholars in the field of global politics have initiated countless discussions around the conception of “militarized masculinity,” namely the transformation in masculinity that soldiers undergo during training. This training entrenches notions of extreme masculinity, placing an emphasis on the presence of strength, power, and a lack of emotion. During this process, threats to hegemonic ideals of masculinity, many of which are rooted in femininity, are deemed inferior and broken down, in preparation to be eliminated.
Consequently, it comes as no surprise that if actors, both state and non-state, are operating under the guise of these notions of militarized masculinity, the actors that espouse policy and control these groups also operate under the same ideology. Vladimir Putin attempts to embody the hegemonic ideals perpetuated by masculinity; he maintains an apathetic, aggressive, and ruthless demeanor with little regard for others. Scholars argue that in the arena of international politics, the ultimate goal is for states to establish their ranking, asserting their masculinity over one another.
Of the many problems this raises, arguably one of the most pertinent is the trickle-down effect this has on women and girls. Peace and negotiation policy that is centered upon dominance, control, and hostility only serves the interests of the leader, neglecting to address the concerns of the population, particularly those most vulnerable. It is crucial to recognize that this parochial outlook overlooks how deeply gendered these conflicts are, and how war is brought about, engaged in, and even resolved is implicitly linked to ideas of masculinity, and avoidance of femininity. As a byproduct, this omits the experiences and outlooks of half the population that experiences these conflicts.
The Need for Women’s Presence
A fundamental, but often overlooked argument in favour of women’s representation during conflict prevention and negotiation is that females constitute half of the world’s population. To exclude women and girls from conflict prevention and negotiations not only omits, but negates their distinct experiences with war and conflict, resulting in policy that is geared towards the male demographic. To have policy and action plans conceived without bearing in mind half of the people who are intimately affected, contradicts the purpose of negotiations.
When the seats at the negotiation roundtable are solely composed of men, it becomes an echo chamber that relays male-centered beliefs driven by the need for ultimate power and control. Increasing the representation of women in conflict prevention and negotiation allows for novel perspectives and approaches that can revitalize the status quo that has arguably proven ineffective, considering the perpetual state of conflict being seen.
The same qualities that are disparaged by hegemonic masculinity are the ones that make women and girls invaluable to peace processes. Feminist scholarship draws the conclusion that not only does women’s influence on peace negotiations elicit agreements being 64 percent less likely to fail, but they are also more sustainable, increasing the probability of agreements lasting for 15 years by 35 percent. It can be argued that hegemonic masculinity is the catalyst for these conflicts, yet it is the skills, experiences, and expertise of women that can resolve them.
In an effort to increase the representation of women in peace operations, as well as safeguard them from the occurrence of sexual and gender-based violence during conflict, the United Nations Security Council put forth Resolution 1325 in October 2000. This resolution holds the international community to a given standard and displays nations’ commitment and valuation to women’s equal representation and protection in times of conflict. The inclusion of women and their experiences in conflict prevention and resolution are critical to abiding by the contents of Resolution 1325 and should be given the same importance and adherence as other international norms.
Hope for the Future
In the midst of chronically identical conflict coverage and stereotypical depiction of women and girls during conflict, women have taken matters into their own hands and demonstrated their sense of agency.
Yemen, ranked second-worst in the world for gender gaps, has seen its female population defy previously held negative attitudes towards women’s public involvement in politics and take action. In 2011, Yemeni women took to the streets to protest government actions, and brought about the resignation of their president. This was the catalyst for other forms of political participation for women in Yemen, including an invitation to the National Dialogue Conference, having a role in pushing progressive policy for women and girls. They made leaps and bounds, addressing matters such as age of consenting to marriage, harassment, trafficking, and female genital mutilation.
In a similar vein, after years of being bystanders to the conflict between each respective side, the 1987 Intifada encouraged Palestinian and Israeli women to engage in political activity. Palestinian women, who had a long history of engaging in politics at the local level, extended this to the national level. Israeli women, incited by the efforts of Palestinian women, engaged in their own mobilization, beginning justice and peace groups. Furthermore, deciding not to wait for official political leaders to take action, women on both sides initiated peace conferences. Despite the grim undertone of many of the arguments put forth, perhaps it is instead an opportunity to challenge the status quo and allow for meaningful change.
Conclusion
Reflecting upon the various aspects of this topic, it is apparent that women and girls are barred from conflict prevention and negotiation regardless of its inordinate impact on them. Mainstream commentary on conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Yemen provides a parochial outlook, disregarding the intrinsically gendered aspects, and how this reaches everyday women. Women and girls, who are either invisible players in these discussions or generalized as damsels in distress, ask only for the descriptive representation in peace talks that they deserve. Notwithstanding these facts, Israeli, Palestinian, and Yemeni women have defied their constraints and have risen to action.
While these occurrences appear to be far removed from the idealistic and forward-thinking modus operandi of Canada, it speaks to a greater imperative that is imperative to all. Western politics and organizations cannot be quick to pride themselves upon progressive stances and steps towards representation; the occurrence of this in one area threatens the well-being of politics everywhere.