When it comes to gender based violence in Arab transition contexts, it is not only state militarism we should be concerned about, but the proliferation of militias and weapons across borders, argues Mariz Tadros
This is the second of two articles by Mariz Tadros discussing the disjunctures between the current international discourse on gender based violence and women’s realities on the ground in ‘Arab transition’ contexts. Read Women’s human security rights in the Arab world: on nobody’s agenda
In tandem with the 16 Days campaign to end violence against women theme for this year, “Let’s challenge militarism and end violence against women”, several initiatives and commentators have highlighted the role of the state and armies in perpetrating violence against women in Arab contexts. There is no doubt that militarism, whether of a national or international character, has been responsible for gross violations against women’s rights, and for the perpetration of the worst kind of gender based violence worldwide. What is disconcerting however, is the way in which the focus on state militarism has failed to capture the role of militias in perpetrating violence against women.
Authors
