Women, war, peace-building and reconstruction

Gender-based violence, especially sexual violence, has become a weapon of warfare and one of the defining characteristics of contemporary armed conflict. This paper focuses on women's protection in armed conflict and their centrality to conflict resolution and peace building. The experiences of women and girls in war and conflict situations are described. Constraints women face in participating in post-conflict peace building are also analysed. The role of the United Nations in engendering peace through Security Council Resolution 1325 is analyzed as well.