Feminist Antimilitarism: Patriarchy, Masculinities and Gender Awareness in Antiwar Organizing
By Cynthia Cockburn
In the second article of the Gender & Militarism campaign renowned academic Cynthia Cockburn explains how gender relations are partly responsible for societies' tendency to wage war. By using a feminist lens, Cynthia elaborates on the causes of militarism, militarization and armed conflict, linking them to the normalization of violence and hegemonic masculinities. She makes the case why it is important to listen to women's voices in peace movements. Finally, she poses the thought that working on transforming gender relations is already a peacebuilding activity in itself.
Read the article by Cynthia Cockburn
This article is the second of the six articles to be published by the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) during the six week Gender & Militarism Campaign. The Gender & Militarism Campaign advocates for awareness and action around the multi-layered connections between gender and militarism, and highlights gender-sensitive nonviolent action (people power) as a powerful alternative to address conflict. Read more about the campaign
The article will be included in the 2014 WPP May 24 Pack “Gender & Militarism: Analyzing the Links to Strategize for Peace”, to be published during the WPP Global Consultation on Gender & Militarism, taking place from July 2-4, 2014, in Cape Town, South Africa.
11 Dec '17 This month WPP staff interviewed Arbia Jebali and Sarah Chamekh from Free Sight Association in Tunisia about the work their organization does, how civil society space has changed over the years, which challenges they are facing now, and how civil society in Tunisia is organizing itself to overcome those challenges.
7 Nov '17 In this article, WPP staff interviewed Doron Joles of XminY Fund, an activist organization that supports social movements, action groups and changemakers fighting for a fair, democratic, sustainable and accepting world. He discusses the unique way they have chosen to hand out funds, and the challenges that go along with funding small activist organizations in the current global climate.
25 Oct '17 This Friday, the UNSCR 1325 Open Debate will take place once again, seventeen years since the adoption of landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. In this article WPP staff reflects on the progress made for a truly transformative feminist peace agenda until now.
