In the traditional sense, biology of men and women comes by birth. Gender roles, however, are constructed afterward and it is the result of the various values, norms, and traditions of society. Therefore, every intellectual document that discusses men and women is deeply rooted in societal realities. In the case of war, it is not gender-neutral, as argued by various gender theories, where war is shaped by socially constructed gender roles. Masculinity, such as aggression and power, and femininity, which stand for care and vulnerability (as widely understood in the social sphere), influence the modus operandi of war and its conduct. It also challenges the historical notion in International Relations that war is purely rational and objective.
Gender Theory & Masculinity
According to the general understanding of gender theory, war is linked with the ideals of masculinity. These ideals include strength, honor, and dominance, making leaders and states often use masculine language to justify conflict. Common repeated masculine terms in war include revenge, toughness, and boldness. This is a tactic in war that results in the normalization of war and making it seem necessary or inevitable.
The feminist critique, like J. Ann Tickner, had argued that realism reflects male-centric values. According her, it surrounds power politics, competition, and state security. However, her 1988 gender theory has also introduced alternatives to realist thinking of Hans Morgethau, through cooperation, human security, and the crucial role of gendered social construction in world politics.
In the work of Cynthia Enloe, she talks about the invisible roles of women. She identified such roles in areas such as caregiving, economic support, and sustaining war. According to her, war is not limited to battlefields rather it includes everyday social and economic structures.
Carol Cohn talks about gendered language in shaping the perception of war. She stresses that technical and masculine language hides human suffering, resulting in making violence appear clean and acceptable. This normalization results in distancing policymakers from real consequences.
Judith Butler says that gender roles are socially constructed and not natural. She argues that these roles are performed in war in which men are expected to be warriors and women as victims. This tendency shapes wartime behavior and justifies inequality in its own terms.
Jean Bethke Elshtain stated that stereotypes legitimize war. In this, men are seen as just warriors and women as beautiful souls. Therefore, war is conducted to protect women and reinforce militarism.
The impacts of war are gendered. Despite the fact that war is mostly fought by men. Post-war consequences placed women in situations of displacement, sexual violence, as well as economic hardship. In the same way, men face forced recruitment, pressure to fight, and trauma. Therefore, gender theory emphasizes the different experiences of war among men and women.
In most wars and conflicts, sexual violence is used as a tool of war. This is often systematic and strategic and not accidental. It is used to terrorize populations by destroying communities, and assert dominance.
Redefining Security through UN Resolution
The redefinition of security places human security as a priority, in which protection from violence, economic stability, and social dignity of people is essential.
The Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda was adopted in 2000 by the UN. It formally recognized that women are not just victims but active agents of peace. It comes under UNSCR 1325 which addresses the impact of war on women. It further emphasizes the importance of women’s full and equal participation in conflict resolution for creating peacebuilding initiative. This will ultimately lead towards peacekeeping and humanitarian response during pre- and post-conflict reconstruction.
The UN Resolution 1325 has four pillars of participation, protection, prevention, and relief & recovery. In this resolution, participation ensures that women are included in peace negotiations and decision-making. Secondly, protection states that women and girls must be protected from sexual violence. Third is preventing conflict and gender-based violence. Lastly, it ensures gender-sensitive humanitarian and reconstruction efforts.
Therefore, several key follow-up resolutions have expanded WPS agenda. In this instance, Resolution 1820 (2008) has recognized sexual violence as a weapon of war. In 2009, Resolutions 1888 and 1889 strengthened protection and participation of women. The UN Resolution 1960 (2010) urged accountability, monitoring & reporting for sexual violence. In 2013, Resolution 2122 established the need for women’s leadership in peace processes. In 2015, Resolution 2242 linked gender with counterterrorism. All of these resolutions have created a comprehensive global framework.
Therefore, Cynthia Enloe’s ideas of women’s invisible roles, J. Ann Tickner’s shift from state security to human security, as well as Judith Butler’s challenge to fixed gender roles, are reflected in the WPS agenda. In short, WPS shows the practical application of gender theory in global politics.
However, criticism of WPS also exists due to its weak implementation in many countries. The fact is that women are still underrepresented in many global negotiations resulting to the mindsets of treating women as victims rather than leaders. The significant cause for women’s underrepresentation is a result of a lack of political will.
Way Forward
The integration of women’s issues into the growing development of the 21st century, through embedding AI and technological advancement matters. The rise of a tech-driven society, followed by social media becoming part of daily life, has also put women’s lives in deep peril. Modern warfare and digital spaces are extending gendered violence beyond battlefields. On one hand, it has made life easier through income creation, collaboration and networking. On the other hand, sexist comments and rape threats targeting different political opinions have limited the free flow of women’s liberation in the digital world.
Therefore, in today’s time, the global community must address deeply entrenched values that limit women, including challenges posed by technological advancement affecting women’s overall productivity. There is a requirement for a science-policy interface to understand the impact of technology and policy in order to solve the crises faced by women.
