Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2014

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Political Science

Degree Program

Political Science, MA

Committee Chair

Gainous, Jason

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Gay, Tricia

Committee Member

Gay, Tricia

Committee Member

Potter, Nancy Nyquist

Subject

Women soldiers--Africa; Women and war--Africa; Africa--Armed Forces--Demobilization

Abstract

Since the passing of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325, states recovering from violence have worked to integrate females into peacemaking and peacebuilding processes. However, many states—particularly in Africa—struggle to craft policy that properly integrates female ex-combatants into disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programs. Much of the literature on this subject focuses on how women and girls are reintegrated and rehabilitated into civilian society. However, the first vital steps in the DDR process are disarmament and demobilization. Utilizing the Peace Accords Matrix, I analyze a number of recent cases in Africa to examine ways in which DDR policy can be improved to provide females with better, safer access to the cantonment sites where the DDR process initiates. The most important changes that must take place include expanding the definition of “combatant” to include those who are not armed and removing the label of “dependent” from female ex-combatants.

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