Engendering Democratic Transition from Conflict: Women's Inclusion in Northern Ireland's Peace Process

• Published in: Comparative politics Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 189 - 208
• Main Authors: Racioppi, Linda, See, Katherine O'Sullivan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Brunswick City University of New York 01-01-2006; Transaction Inc
• Subjects: Activism; Civil Society; Civil war; Conflict resolution; Democracy; Democratization; Ethnic conflict; Ethnic parties; Ethnic Relations; Females; Gender equality; Gender equity; Gender studies; Irish politics; Northern Ireland; Peace; Peace process; Political candidates; Political Change; Political conflict; Political Participation; Political parties; Religious conflicts; United Kingdom; Women; Women's role; Women's studies; Womens rights movements; Northern Ireland
• ISSN: 0010-4159; 2151-6227
• DOI: 10.2307/20433989

Social inclusion is important in peacebuilding. Fostering gender equity faces many challenges under conditions of protracted ethnic conflict. Northern Ireland offers an opportunity to examine more fully how gender equity is infused into democratic transitions from ethnic conflict. Three factors are crucial to women's participation in peace processes and democratic transitions: the structure of political opportunities and availability of resources; women's ability to use the human and organizational resources they had already developed in civil society; and the responsiveness of political parties to gender inclusion.