The gendered touch : women's agency in security and peacebuilding in Sierra Leone

Abstract

Achieving sustainable peace has become a necessity, since anything less presents serious security threats for both the warring country and for the international community. Investigating how women can play pivotal roles in peacebuilding, and empowering them to do so accordingly, may be a significant step towards understanding how to achieve more sustainable peace, security and development. Using Sierra Leone as a case study, this thesis employs qualitative analysis of web-based data and other secondary analyses to understand the contributions of women's organizations in the building of peace and human security. Data suggest that non-governmental women's organizations in the country are filling voids in peacebuilding left by mainstream disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration methods. Through their social, economic, and political involvement, women have proved that they can be agents of positive change, and need to be recognized as major actors in peacebuilding, human security and thus sustainable development processes.