Women and Nation-Building
Cheryl Benard
Does women's participation in nation-building make a difference to the post-conflict trajectories of very volatile societies? Women and Nation-Building presents compelling findings for policymakers, practitioners, and scholars concerned with both the academic and pragmatic implementation of an engendered approach to nation-building. The book concludes that the steps necessary to strengthen nation-building activities include an emphasis on human security, establishing governance based on the principles of equity and the rule of law, and women's early economic inclusion in reconstruction activities. Societies on a path toward equity and the rule of law are more peaceful and more prosperous, and the status of women is not merely a litmus test but an active agent in bringing about such an outcome.