Ethnic Conflict And The Vulnerability Of Women

Abstract

It is widely accepted that ethnicity is a sort of affiliation to a group, a type of distinctiveness involving an array of characteristics or attributes such as a shared culture that may be seen in their shared history, and language that serve as the basis for this affiliation. Does it satisfy any vital need of individuals, given how fiercely people cling to their ethnic identities? Clinging to an ethnic identity is often seen to provide certain personal or societal benefits. Ethnicity is perceived by many scholars as an expression of individual or group agendas as well as political scheming. Therefore, it is not unlikely for other forms of allegiances such as that of class, to override ethnic allegiance. Owing to the worldwide gender inequality, women due to their shared experience of oppression and subordination, both economic and social, may be categorized as a distinct class in itself. It is difficult to fathom the extent to which women are subjected to atrocities during times of conflict, given how vulnerable their existence is during ordinary circumstances. This paper seeks to investigate how the patriarchal grasp on ethnicity is reinforced by designating women's bodies as symbols of ethnic purity and employing them as boundary markers. Abuse of women to portray a masculine display of power over a rival community becomes a method of warfare. As their quality of life and chances of survival seem to deteriorate during such conflicts, women tend to transcend ethnic allegiances and push for conflict resolution.