Women, peace and security in Myanmar: between feminism and ethnopolitics

This book describes women's efforts as agents for change in Myanmar and examines the potential of the peace process as an opportunity for women's empowerment.Following decades of political turbulence, the volume describes the contributions of women in Myanmar in the midst of a difficult peace process and reflects on the significance of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in this context. The book examines how women have mobilized for peace, while also addressing women's participation in the conflict, and investigates the perspectives and aims of women's organizations and the challenges and aspirations of women activists in Myanmar's ethnic areas. Contributions in the volume discuss and critically assess the argument that war and peacebuilding add momentum to the transformation of gender roles. By presenting new knowledge on women's disempowerment and empowerment in conflict, and their participation in peacebuilding, this book adds important insights into the debate on gender and political change in societies affected by conflict.

"This book describes women's efforts as agents for change in Myanmar and examines the potential of the peace process as an opportunity for women's empowerment. Following decades of political turbulence, the volume describes the contributions of women to contemporary Burmese politics and reflects on the significance of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in the context of Myanmar. The book examines how women have mobilized for peace, while addressing women's participation in the conflict, and investigates the perspectives and aims of women's organizations, and the challenges and aspirations of women activists in Myanmar's ethnic areas. Contributions in the volume discuss and critically assess the argument that war and peacebuilding adds momentum to the transformation of gender roles. By presenting new knowledge on women's disempowerment and empowerment in conflict, and their participation in peacebuilding, this book adds important insights into the debate on gender and political change in societies affected by conflict. This book will be of interest to students of peace and conflict studies, gender studies and security studies in general"--

Introduction : women, peace and security in review / ashild Koleas and Torunn L. Tyggestand -- The road to parliament : women in Nepal's representative assemblies / Bishnhu Raj Upreti and Gitta Sherstha -- Female Maoist combatants during and after the People's War / Lorina Sthapit and Philippe Donesy -- Troubled identities : women ex-combatants in post-conflict Nepal / Amrita Pritam Gogoi -- Nepali women's mobilization for peace : transforming activism into policy change / Vanessa Daurer-- Does international aid help women : peacebuilders in Nepal? / Anjoo Sharan Upadhyaya and Jason Miklian / Women, peace and security : the case of Nepal / Gitta Shrestha, Bishhnu Raj Upreti and eashild Koleas.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Tables -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- Contributors -- Introduction: Women, Peace and Security in review -- Women, Peace and Security comes to Nepal -- References -- 1 The road to parliament: Women in Nepal's representative assemblies -- The context: women's struggles for political participation -- The first democratic era (1951-1960) -- The Panchayat era (1960-1990) -- The era of parliamentary democracy (1990-1996) -- The armed conflict (1996-2006) -- The 2006 People's Movement and the end of war -- Women in post-war politics -- Women's engagement in the Constituent Assembly -- Obstacles faced by women Constituent Assembly members -- Concluding remarks -- Notes -- References -- 2 Female Maoist combatants during and after the People's War -- The People's War: causes and consequences -- Women's participation in and contribution to the People's War -- Unclear gains from the People's War for female ex-combatants -- Conservative backlash and patriarchal resurgence after the People's War -- Concluding remarks -- Notes -- References -- 3 Troubled identities Women ex-combatants in post-conflict Nepal -- Marriage, metaphor and the dilemma of a home -- Lives and worlds of female combatants: corporeality as agency -- The many war bodies -- Experiences and identities in negotiation -- Notes -- References -- 4 Nepali women's mobilization for peace Transforming activism into policy change -- Women's activism in Nepal -- Strategic responses to women's exclusion from peace talks -- Translating activism into mechanisms for producing policy change -- The repertoire of action -- Engagement with policymakers -- Bottom-up demands together with international support -- Conclusion and future implications -- Notes -- References

"This book sheds new light on the important but diverse roles of women in the civil war in Nepal (1996-2006), and the post-conflict reconstruction period (2006-2016). Engaging critically with the women, peace and security literature, Women, Peace and Security in Nepal questions the potential of peace processes to become a window of opportunity for women's empowerment, while insisting on the vital importance of a gender perspective in the study of conflict, security and peace. After the signing of the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Accord, Nepal experienced a huge leap in women's political representation in the subsequent Constituent Assembly, often portrayed as a landmark victory for women's empowerment in the context of South Asia. Nepali women's mobilization played a key role in this success story, though similar mobilization has failed to produce the same outcomes elsewhere in South Asia. How does Nepal differ from the other cases? Presenting studies of war-time and post-conflict Nepal through a gender lens, this book critically assesses the argument that war and peacebuilding can add momentum to the transformation of gender roles. Contributing new knowledge on women's disempowerment and empowerment in conflict and peacebuilding, the book also offers insights for contemporary debate on gender and political change in conflict-affected societies.This book will be of great interest to students of peace and conflict studies, gender security, South Asia and international relations in general, as well as policy-makers and NGOs."--Provided by publisher.

Introduction : women, peace and security in review / Åshild Kolås and Torunn L. Tyggestand -- The road to parliament : women in Nepal's representative assemblies / Bishnhu Raj Upreti and Gitta Sherstha -- Female Maoist combatants during and after the People's War / Lorina Sthapit and Philippe Donesy -- Troubled identities : women ex-combatants in post-conflict Nepal / Amrita Pritam Gogoi -- Nepali women's mobilization for peace : transforming activism into policy change / Vanessa Daurer-- Does international aid help women : peacebuilders in Nepal? / Anjoo Sharan Upadhyaya and Jason Miklian / Women, peace and security : the case of Nepal / Gitta Shrestha, Bishhnu Raj Upreti and Åshild Kolås