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Working from Within: Nigerian Women and Conflict Resolution

Authored by: Gwendolyn Mikell

Categories: Statebuilding, Violent Conflict
Sub-Categories: Countering Violent Extremism, Democratization and Political Participation, Peacemaking, Post-Conflict Reconstruction, Violent Extremism
Country: Nigeria
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Year: 2005
Citation: Mikell, Gwendolyn. "Working from Within: Nigerian Women and Conflict Resolution." Georgetown Journal of International Affairs 6, no. 2 (2005): 87-94.

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Executive Summary

Most national conflicts have to do with competition for political space and resources. Recent conflict resolution and political activism by Nigeria’s Muslim women’s groups are worthy of deeper consideration because of the political and policy relevance for the international community in peace building and societal reconstruction. While women’s groups throughout Africa are making progress in peace and reconstruction efforts in places such as Liberia and Sierra Leone, initiatives in Nigeria are particularly noteworthy. There, Muslim women’s groups mediate the cultural and ideological dynamics of national conflicts to legitimately reconstruct society. Female activism has helped bring Nigeria back from the brink of collapse by building local grass roots movements for democracy, human rights, and conflict resolution despite a precarious political environment.