Abare Yunusa Kallah
Department of Religious Studies,
Federal University Kashere, Gombe
Fatima Binta Lawrence
Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology
Email: binta4love@gmail.com
& Grace Moses
Department of Peace and Conflict Resolution Taraba State University
Email: mosesgrace2079@yahoo.com
Abstract
Gender has long been recognized as a key factor in both violent conflict and peace building: men, women and gender minorities are both differently involved in and affected by the processes involved. It has also become commonplace in peace building to stress that gender does not equal women and that gender needs to be seen in relation to other identity markers, such as age or class, and to social power dynamics. In practice, however, gender in peace building often is reduced to focusing on women only – or, even more narrowly, exclusively on violence against women and girls . Debates and interventions often have remained tied to simplistic dichotomies of men as perpetrators and women as victims, contrary to evidence from the ground. Issues of masculinities have seldom been addressed in peace building, nor have issues of male vulnerabilities or women‘s agency in reproducing violence. Gendered inequalities are also often not analyzed in relation to other social, economic and political inequalities, and the categories of ‗men‘ and ‗women‘ are often dealt with as if they were static and homogenous. This research used secondary data. Feminist theory was adopted. The research findings review that gender mainstreaming is a major issue in plateau state when it comes to peace building and decision-making process. The research therefore recommends that, there is should be inclusion of both women and men in peace building process and decision making
Keywords: Gender, Gender mainstreaming, conflict, peace building
Introduction Gender mainstreaming has become one of the most recognized ways to achieve long- lasting peace in different societies.