AFRICAN WOMEN IN POST-CONFLICT NATION BUILDING IN AFRICA SINCE INDEPENDENCE

Abstract

Conflict has the potential to completely upend and destabilize a nation. In recent years, postconflict nation building in Africa has become increasingly important as more and more nations experienced conflict within the continent. During such times, the relevance of women, most especially in national reconciliation, reconstruction, and rehabilitation amongst others, becomes crucial. This research examines the role of women in post conflict nation building in African nations since independence. There appears to be scarcity of literature on these women’s efforts in post-conflict nation building in Africa, as well as low representation in the decision-making processes, especially after periods of conflict. Why so? Have African women played roles towards post-conflict Nation Building in Africa? If yes, what were these roles? If no, what were the reasons? What efforts have been put in place to ensure their inclusivity in the nation building processes of post conflict African States? Records show that some African women have actively participated in building societies following periods of strife. However, historical findings show that the low representation of these African women in literature and decision making processes is in part due to poor educational background, trauma from gender based violence, and gendered divisions of labour that relegates women to the private sphere of activities, amongst others. The paper recognizes the aforementioned points as part of the problem that limit women’s roles in post-conflict reconstruction processes in Africa. It adopts mostly the descriptive method of historical research in its approach to data analysis and strongly believes that for more representation of women in Africa’s post-conflict nation building to be achieved, both national and international organizations, governmental and non-governmental institutions, must join hands to enact, enforce, and implement strict policy measures, backed with actions to encourage the visibility of these women in the reconstruction efforts.