CIPE’s most recent Feature Service article, “Overcoming Obstacles: How Women Are Rebuilding Bosnia,” discusses a very timely topic – how to rebuild the economy and maintain the peace in a post-conflict environment. The author, Gayle Tzemach, identifies women as key to reconstruction, as they possess the drive to support their families and a strong desire for their country to become peaceful and prosperous. Gayle then provides a number of persuasive reasons why the international community, as well as organizations and the government in their own countries, should support women’s efforts through skills training, access to capital, and knowledge sharing.
The article also contains several profiles of Bosnian businesswomen who are making peace and economic prosperity a reality in their country.
Gayle wrote another great article last year about how women in Afghanistan and Bosnia are rebuilding their countries through entrepreneurship. So, if you found this article interesting, you may want to take a look at that one as well.
What are your thoughts on the role women can play in post-conflict reconstruction? I think that women’s contributions are undervalued and, as Gayle mentions, their attempts to participate in the economy are often hindered by gender bias and a lack of technical know-how (for example). These obstacles are very difficult to overcome – how can it be done?
Published Date: March 16, 2007