‘Fixing the Girls’

Does gender matter when planning youth peacebuilding projects? This article presents research findings from two youth peacebuilding projects – in Australia and Northern Ireland – and identifies several barriers to participation girls faced. It sheds light on reasons why girls participate in some peacebuilding activities but not others, highlighting the role of neoliberal discourse – placing the burden of responsibility for equal participation on individuals rather than program design or other factors. It concludes by proposing important questions for future research and identifying the conditions under which peacebuilding projects might benefit from including some gender-segregated activities.