Women and men experience violent conflicts in very different ways. The challenge is not only to respond to the special but often neglected needs of women as a result of conflict, but also to better understand gender roles and processes relating gender and conflict throughout the phases of conflict, including male gender roles.
Experience in post-conflict reconstruction suggests that the demobilization and reintegration phase poses particular difficulties for women and girl soldiers. Women are not only victims of conflict, but can also make tremendous contributions to conflict resolution, management and peacebuilding processes.
In most discussions of gender and conflict, gender tends to be equated with women, but we know little about male gender roles in relation to violent conflict. Male identities, the link between masculinity and violence, and the particular situation of young males have received very little attention.
Introducing a gender sensitive lens to conflict analysis frameworks and post-conflict reconstruction strategies can help in understanding both women's and men's roles as actors, not just victims.
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