Impact of Gender Provisions in Peace Agreements on Post-conflict Peace Durations

• In Event: Peacebuilding

Abstract

What kind of gender provisions in peace agreements do make an impact on post-conflict peace durations? This paper evaluates the relationship between quality of gender-inclusive peace agreement provisions, which is determined by the degree to which the peace process foresees a gender-equality agenda or policy change in favor of gender egalitarianism, and post-conflict peace durations. To empirically assess the relationship between the quality of gender provisions in peace agreements and durability of the post-conflict peace, this paper defines two categories of gender provisions in peace agreements, liberal/essentialist and non-essentialist/gender-inclusive, and evaluate their impact on the durability of the post-conflict peace. Liberal/essentialist provisions refer to individual-level gendered provisions adopted in peace agreements that target women’s inclusion in the peace process, implementation of peace agreements and post-conflict reconstructions, i.e., parliamentary quotas. Non-essentialist/gender-inclusive gender provisions, on the other hand, refer to gender provisions that envision social, political, and institutional change in favor of gender equality and women’s substantial representation in post-conflict governance and decision-making roles in peace processes. According to Cox Proportional Hazards Model results, both liberal/essentialist and non-essentialist/gender-inclusive provisions have significant impacts on the post-conflict peace durations.

Author

• Dilruba Tas, University of Florida