THE IMPACT OF GENDER IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN AFRICA

The modern international system since her emergence in 1648 has been plagued by series of conflict and instability especially in the decolonized countries of Africa. Even though, there have been series of peacebuilding efforts and approaches to conflict resolution, it has been accused of excluding the paradigm of gender in her analysis and discourse. This paper sought to explain the important contributions of gender and her impact in conflict management in Africa. Through literatures and key informant interviews, the study was able to establish the nexus between gender and conflict, explain how the feminist paradigm challenged the mainstream theories of International Relations of neglecting the critical role of gender in the peace building process. From all these prism, the study has been able to discover that for any meaningful conflict resolution mechanism to be effective, the need for harmony and gender balance is not only necessary but is also key in guaranteeing the success of the peace building process.