Vol. 1 No. 1 (2024)
Analysis of Gendering Peace: The Role of Women in Africa’s Peacebuilding Processes in Guinea-Bissau: An African Perspective
Abstract
This article critically examines the persistent marginalisation of women in formal peacebuilding in Guinea-Bissau, despite their foundational role in sustaining community cohesion. It argues that dominant, androcentric models of peace and security systematically overlook women’s distinct contributions. Employing an African feminist theoretical lens, the study deconstructs ‘gendering peace’ and advances a paradigm integrating indigenous peacemaking traditions with contemporary governance theories. The methodology comprises a qualitative thematic analysis of specific national policy documents, including the 2023-2027 National Development Plan and the 2021 National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, alongside reports from civil society organisations such as the Women’s Political Platform and the Guinea-Bissau Women’s Network from 2021-2026. Through this analysis, the article demonstrates how women’s informal networks and economic collectives—such as *djumbai* forums and agricultural cooperatives—constitute a vital, under-theorised infrastructure for resilience. The central thesis contends that sustainable peace is inextricably linked to inclusive economic governance, and that women’s leadership in these spheres provides a critical model for participatory recovery. The framework’s significance lies in redirecting policy and scholarly focus towards Afro-centric, women-led peace architectures, advocating for their formal recognition within national and regional strategies to foster more holistic and durable outcomes.
Read the Full Article
The HTML galley is loaded below for inline reading and better discovery.
How to Cite
Keywords
Research Snapshot
Desktop reading viewReferences
- Abdullahi, M. (2022). Women, Peacebuilding, and Sustainable Development. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92474-4_17
- Affi, L., & Tønnessen, L. (2021). Conclusions: Women’s Peace Activism in Africa. Women and Peacebuilding in Africa. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781800102705.007
- Al-Nagar, S., & Tønnessen, L. (2021). Sudanese Women’s Demands for Freedom, Peace, and Justice in the 2019 Revolution. Women and Peacebuilding in Africa. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781800102705.005
- Albers, R., & Dowd, C. (2025). Gendering food rights in peacebuilding: insights from Colombia’s 2016 peace agreement. Peacebuilding. https://doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2025.2591497
- Amaral, J. (2022). Peacemaking Referendums: Advantages and Challenges for Peace Processes. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_8
- Asano, R. (2025). The 2019 National Elections in Guinea-Bissau. Political Instability in Guinea-Bissau. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003467243-8
- Ba, B., & Foucher, V. (2025). Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. Political Instability in Guinea-Bissau. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003467243-12
- Bedigen, W. (2025). Women, Conflict, and Peacebuilding: Loketio/Logedio as a Conflict Deterrence and Peacebuilding Mechanism Among East African Pastoralists. The Palgrave Handbook of Peace, Conflict and Security Studies in Africa. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-92924-3_22
- Bell, C., & Wise, L. (2022). Peace Processes and Their Agreements. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_19
- Brett, R., & Malagón, L. (2022). Transitional Justice and Peacemaking/Peacebuilding. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_23
- Edu-Afful, F., & Frimpong, R.A. (2022). Peacebuilding in Guinea-Bissau. Routledge Handbook of African Peacebuilding. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429060038-21
- Ghais, S. (2022). Inclusivity in Peace Processes: Civil Society and Armed Groups. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_13
- Hucker, D. (2022). ‘Allowed to Serve, Not to Speak’? The Role of Women in International Peace Activism, 1880–1920. Gendering Peace in Europe c. 1880–2000. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003273899-2
- Höglund, K., & Nilsson, D. (2022). Violence and Peace Processes. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_15
- John, S.F. (2023). Shaping the Instruments of Peace: Religion in Digital Peacebuilding in Africa. The Palgrave Handbook of Religion, Peacebuilding, and Development in Africa. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36829-5_42
- Krause, J., & Olsson, L. (2022). Women’s Participation in Peace Processes. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_6
- Kroeker, W., & Leguro, M. (2021). Constant Motion: Multi-dimensional Peacebuilding for Peace Processes. Rethinking Political Violence. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67288-1_10
- Loney, H. (2021). Gendering peace: UN peacebuilding in Timor-Leste. Peacebuilding. https://doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2021.1895627
- Mac Ginty, R. (2022). Time, Sequencing and Peace Processes. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_10
- Mansab, M. (2023). Nurturing Sustainable Peace: Unveiling the Integral Role of Women in Rwanda’s Peacebuilding Endeavors. NUST Journal of International Peace & Stability. https://doi.org/10.37540/njips.v6i2.150
- Molloy, S. (2024). Sketching the Business and Peace Terrain. Business, Peacebuilding, and Regulation. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003376606-1
- Molloy, S. (2024). A Future for State-Based Regulation of Business and Peace. Business, Peacebuilding, and Regulation. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003376606-7
- Pospisil, J. (2022). Peace Accords and Human Rights. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_21
- Quint, N. (2023). 19 Guinea-Bissau. Manual of Romance Languages in Africa. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110628869-019
- Romic, J. (2023). Exploring the Role of Gender and Indigenous Knowledge in Peacebuilding and Political Stability in Africa. Governing Natural Resources for Sustainable Peace in Africa. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003355717-13
- Ruppel, S., & Leib, J. (2022). Same but different: the role of local leaders in the peace processes in liberia and sierra leone. Peacebuilding. https://doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2022.2027152
- Tripp, A.M. (2021). Introduction: The Gendering of Peacebuilding in Africa. Women and Peacebuilding in Africa. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781800102705.001
- Tullio, S. (2025). Maritime Boundary between Guinea and Guinea-Bissau Arbitration (Guinea v Guinea-Bissau). Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law. https://doi.org/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/e1192
- Vogel, B. (2022). Everyday Economic Experiences and Peace Processes. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_26
- Wanis-St. John, A., & Mac Ginty, R. (2022). Conclusion: Peace Processes, Past, Present, and Future. Contemporary Peacemaking. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82962-9_27
- Wilén, N. (2022). Women, Gender and Peacebuilding in Africa. Routledge Handbook of African Peacebuilding. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429060038-12