Causes & Consequences of Post-Conflict Violence: Examining Gender Dimensions

In post-conflict situations, what role does gender play in the ways that both men and women experience violence? What causes this violence? And, what are some of the international and local strategies that are best serving the needs of those most affected by it? These were among the questions explored during a symposium on March 13, 2013 that was co-hosted by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (WWICS). Speakers from academia, the United Nations and civil society shared their research and field experience on these subjects as a means of exploring how development programs could better address the gender dimensions of post-conflict violence. Haleh Esfandiari from the Wilson Center’s Middle East program opened the symposium. The event consisted of opening remarks followed by two panel discussions; this report is organized thematically to highlight the main themes they addressed.