Edited Volume Read Along: Women, Peace and Security
In her chapter “Women, Peace, and Security: What Are the Connections? What Are the Limitations?” Author Dr. Valentine M. Moghadam explores the links between women’s security, gender roles, patriarchal structures, and military spending. She looks at how we can promote women’s safety during times of both conflict and peace. She also highlights the ways that feminist theory and scholars have contributed to the conversations surrounding international relations, war, and peace.
Dr. Moghadam points out that the role of women in IR and peacebuilding has often been overlooked or ignored. However, it is important to note that across history, women have been advocating for their rights and equality, as well as security and peace for everyone. There is a false perception that women are only in danger when they live in unstable regions or conflict zones. However, women face violence, trafficking, and discrimination all over the world in times of peace and crisis. The role that domestic violence plays in the dangers facing women is massive and is not restricted to areas in conflict nor to less affluent countries. It is a problem that impacts women and children all over the world.
“Conflict situations significantly impact women’s lives, especially the lives of women living in impoverished or patriarchal settings. We have heard far too many heart-rending stories about displacement, family separation, kidnappings, rapes, sexual slavery, death, and destruction. At the same time, women play important roles in peace movements, peace initiatives, and post-conflict reconstruction” (Moghadam, 2022, p. 209).
In her chapter, Dr. Moghadam reveals a striking correlation between rates of violence against women and military spending. Countries with high military spending also see high rates of domestic violence. This positive link is likely due to many factors, including the fact that high military spending also correlates to less gender equality and more hegemonic patriarchal gender roles and ideals. Dr. Moghadam connects the ideas of hypermasculine militarism and the oppression of women.
“When states are destabilized and countries invaded or bombed, women are most certainly not protected. On the home front, when the state expends large amounts of financial and human resources on weapons manufacturing, exports, or purchases, there is a cost to be paid in terms of social spending. Those costs include limited funding of programs for women’s physical security, welfare, and empowerment. In the U.S., for example, excessive military spending diverts resources away from the provision of universal and quality health care, pre-school facilities, and statutory paid maternity leave of a decent duration” (Moghadam, 2022, p. 212).
She goes beyond just establishing this link and proposes that reducing gender inequality and violence against women could also lead to more peace and less violence. She notes that in order for this to happen, money would need to be shifted away from military spending and towards social programs and infrastructure that benefit citizens, particularly women, including housing and education.
About the Author
Stella Hudson is a Graduate Assistant with the Baha’i Chair for World Peace. She graduated from the College of William and Mary in 2021 with a B.A. in English. She is attending the University of Maryland and pursuing a Master’s of Library and Information Science.