Assignment Code: MGPE-012/ASST/TMA/2022-23

Course Code: MGPE-012

Assignment Name: Women and Peace

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Answer five questions in all, selecting at least two questions from each section. Each question is to be answered in about 500 words. Each question carries 20 marks.

Section-I

Q1) Causes of terrorism and how it is a danger to maintain world peace.

Ans) The effects of today's conflicts cut over national lines and have an impact on nations all around the world. The previous century has seen the ravages and devastation brought on by two world wars and numerous civil wars. Violence is frequently sparked by the desire for power, rigid ideologies, and distorted political perspectives. The statistics that are now accessible on terrorist activities are terrifying. Terrorism is a war without clear-cut political or traditional military boundaries that has spread throughout the world. Indian terrorist organisations are also becoming louder.

Gandhi had come to the early conclusion that violence is a severe obstacle in his political career. People can navigate the maze of violence, mistrust, and hatred with the help of his teaching and example of nonviolence and freedom from hatred. His Hind Swaraj, written on the Kildonan Castle during the return trip from London to South Africa, contains well-reasoned arguments against violence and terrorism. Gandhi makes a case in this little but significant work for the superiority of soul force over physical force.

According to Juergen Meyer, the principles Gandhi outlined in response to the terrorism committed by Indian activists in London in 1909 can be applied to the contemporary circumstance. They are to put an end to a violent situation immediately, deal with the causes of the violence, and maintain the moral high ground. The fact that a nonviolent response is already a part of political discourse is crucial. It is not a novel concept, but rather a school of thought that merits consideration and, in Gandhi's view, respect.

Gandhi demonstrates the connection between the purity of the end and the methods as well as the relationship between the truth and nonviolence. Nonviolence is the means to the aim of truth. Truth and nonviolence are so linked that it is virtually difficult to separate them. They resemble the two sides of a coin or a smooth, blank metal disc. The Gandhian approach seeks to comprehend the source of violence before addressing it.

Gandhi believed that opposing violence is only one way to promote nonviolence; another way is to seek to improve societies. He fervently urges that evil must be opposed without hating the one who does it. A method of conversion based on nonviolence and love is called satyagraha. Instead, than modifying the opponent's outward behaviour, it seeks to alter their attitude, way of thinking, and behaviour. It depends on the ability to persuade and reason, on communication and reaching agreements, and on love and understanding of the opposition. In order to combat injustice and oppression at all levels, the purest force of the soul must be used.

Gandhi demonstrated how conflict may be transcended in order to bring disparate interests together. His personal behaviour demonstrated his unwavering confidence in nonviolence in situations like those in Champaran, Kheda, and Bardoli. People gained courage and confidence as a result of the large-scale movements for Quit India, Civil Disobedience, and Non-cooperation. Gandhi encourages individuals to be courageous, bold, and to believe in the truth even in the face of deceit and deception. An alternative to harsh suppression through violence is the exchange of ideas between parties and an understanding of the perspectives of the adversaries, as Gandhi advocated and did.

Q2) Women’s Political Participation in South Asia.

Ans) Regardless of the positions that political parties take publicly, the fact that they do not take sufficient steps to guarantee that women are adequately represented on party committees and in legislatures is a glaring oversight. Parties have the option of including regulations in their party constitutions that require a certain percentage of women to hold leadership positions within party bodies. There are still lingering disagreements regarding whether or not an increased presence of women in the legislatures should be accomplished by establishing internal party quotas for women or by reserving a proportion of seats in the legislatures.

Both of these options have been proposed as potential solutions. As a result, there are two distinct ways in which the problem can be resolved.

1. Ensuring that women make up a specific portion of posts on party committees and in party offices overall. As was just demonstrated, certain parties are equipped with such provisions. Even while these parties have a responsibility to make an effort to enforce these rules, other parties are free to include similar provisions in their constitutions and put them into effect.

2. If the constitution of the country is amended to set aside seats in the legislative bodies for women, political parties will be required to nominate women candidates for those seats. This will be the case whether or not the amendment is passed. It is possible that it will not be possible to leave it up to the parties to field a set number of women candidates in South Asian elections because four of the five nations in the region use the plurality system, which is based on single-member territorial seats.

It is possible that a sufficient number of women will not be elected in a particular party system because parties may place them in seats that are less likely to elect them. This is due to the fact that parties in the alliance may field candidates in a few or several constituencies. It is in everyone's best interest to set aside voting districts specifically for women. On the other hand, it is feasible to legally oblige political parties to include a particular number of women candidates on their candidate lists. This may be observed in Sri Lanka, which utilises the PR system of voting.

In terms of representation by region, it is interesting to note that women are least represented in Arab countries. This is followed by South Asian countries, with the exception of Bangladesh, where women are even less represented than in East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Women who don't spend much time in the public sphere may think that politics and state processes are almost all about elections and voting. Others, like politically active students and workers, who have more freedom and a reason to challenge the government and its policies, whether by accident or on purpose, may see politics as an expression of the tendency to compete and fight for power that is present at all levels of government.

Q3) Debate over Gender and environment in global society.

Ans) The argument between gender and the environment has two main strands: first, gender mediates all uses, knowledge, and assessments of the environment; second, gender roles, duties, expectations, conventions, and the division of labour influence all manners in which people interact with the environment. The history of women is intertwined with the history of the environment and ecological change because of the ancient idea that nature is a loving mother.

We must re-examine the development of a world view and a science that, by reconceiving reality as a machine rather than a living organism, sanctioned the domination of both nature and women in order to understand the causes of our current environmental dilemma and its connections to science, technology, and the economy. The idea that men rule over women and that this is equivalent to having control over nature has become widely accepted. Typically, women are viewed as nurturers and males as being materialistic in their viewpoint.

As an example, in the instance of the Chipko Movement, the male residents of the area did give in to the demands of the business entities and approved the removal of the trees. However, the ladies banded together to prevent the falling of the trees by forming a human chain around them after becoming aware of the efforts being made by the commercial corporations to clear the forests. As women's roles in various environmental movements have grown in importance, the environmental movements have come to be associated with women's propensity for the preservation of nature and their position as stewards of the natural world.

Male members of the policy-making process are linked to the development policy that is more focused on growing urban areas and has been recognised as being against the principles of the natural environment. According to Vandana Shiva, Modern reductionist science turns out to be a patriarchal endeavour, which has excluded women as experts and has simultaneously rejected ecology and holistic methods of knowing that recognise and appreciate nature's processes and interconnectivity as science. According to her, the old knowledge systems in which women are well-versed have been impacted by modern science and are still doing so.

It is claimed that material reality is the foundation for understanding how men and women interact with nature. Men are perceived as being materialistic by nature and caving into modern civilization's and its purported development' demands. Environmental problems include resource depletion, deforestation, worsening soil conditions, and recurring water issues, in addition to pollution of all types, have multiplied as more and more regions of the world struggle to cope with the effects of environmental degradation.

The tendency is to limit local communities' rights in relation to the environment. Numerous systems have been impacted by the process, and the knowledge and wisdom of traditional resource management systems that previously significantly aided in the sustenance of the communities as a whole are gradually eroding. Urbanization, colonisation, scientific and technological advancements, as well as a materialistic and consumerist society, are all slowly destroying the value systems that support preserving the natural world.

Section-II

Write a short note on each part of the question in about 250 words:

Q1) (a) What is UNSC Resolution 1325?

Ans) The decision made on the eve of the new millennium was incredibly thorough. It was a significant step, and this decision seemed to have energised many women's groups working to end conflict or establish and maintain peace in various conflict zones. Governments, regional organisations, and civil society all became increasingly aware of the value of gender equality and the necessity of empowering women in order to reduce social unrest, avert societal conflict, and uphold the status quo.

The Group of Eight, the European Union, the Organization of American States, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe all adopted resolutions addressing related issues. Significantly, the African Union started integrating gender into many of its initiatives and created a "Women, Gender, and Development Directorate" under the Office of the Chairperson. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, which included the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa and the Rights of Women in Africa, reflected the impact of Resolution 1325.

Following the UN Security Council's adoption of Resolution 1325, analysts claim that there have been noticeable improvements in six key areas:

1. Women's engagement in activities that promote peace is important.

2. Creation of work programmes for gender action in humanitarian and disarmament efforts.

3. Advisors are used to learn and enhance gender sensitivity.

4. Violence against women in areas of armed conflict should be prevented and appropriately addressed.

5. Increased engagement of women in post-conflict reconstruction efforts, as well as the creation and implementation of codes of behaviour to address issues like sexual harassment.

Q1) (b) What are the causes of gender inequality?

Ans) Although the woman is compared to the goddess in Indian tradition, she has never achieved power. She takes a submissive role in the private sphere because she is so ingrained with customs, and she is helpless. The social prejudices hinder her development. Fewer women than men have been able to hold positions of influence. The statistical underrepresentation of women's labour reflects the pervasive social prejudice against it. The numbers of crimes against women are horrifying. Violence against a woman's body, mind, and life must be dealt with on a daily basis. Domestic abuse, media violence, the death of female foetuses, and the promotion of dangerous contraception all require prompt action. The struggles led by women have had a significant impact on important government actions like changes to the laws addressing issues like rape and dowry.

Women's participation in the peaceful fight for freedom sends out signals about inner strength, simplicity, independence, and the need to empathise with the underprivileged groups. Some of these fights, such as the anti-arrack and anti-dowry movements and the Chipko movement, show the effectiveness of women's nonviolent tactics. Women around the world are speaking out against injustice and unfairness. The women's movement has pushed the issue of women to the forefront and has been crucial in enabling women to resist pressures that limit their freedom and equality. In order to transform the unequal power structure, women must jointly and critically acknowledge the forces that constrain them.

Q2) (a) Women’s status in Afghanistan.

Ans) Without the meaningful involvement of women, a lasting peace in Afghanistan cannot be accomplished, according to Elizabeth Gibbons, Associate Director of Gender Rights and Civic Engagement at UNICEF's Division of Policy and Practice. Unimaginable damage was done to social structures as a result of the injustice and violation of human rights that occurred under the Taliban administration. The lives of women and children in Afghanistan have not improved significantly more than eight years after the fall of the Taliban government.

Women and children are unable to access essential rights and services due to ongoing violence and rising insecurity. Health and education are the two industries most impacted. Contextually, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame made the claim that a militarised environment does not aid Afghan women and girls in securing and protecting their rights in a report titled Afghan Women Speak: Enhancing Security and Human Rights in Afghanistan.

According to David Cortright and Sarah Smiles Persinger, violence between foreign forces and militants, criminal groups, local authorities, and police chiefs disproportionately affects Afghan women. Women's access to healthcare, employment, and education is directly impacted by this insecurity, which also serves to further their exclusion and the dominance of their families.

Q2) (b) Pakistan civil society and status of women

Ans) Since the beginning, Pakistan's civil society has worked to make sure that basic human rights are respected everywhere. In addition to openly pursuing policies that tried to limit women's basic rights, the government helped non-government groups use violence or the fear of violence to force people to do what they wanted. Women tried to stop it. Not just as a single person, but also as a bold and aggressive group.

Few courageous women emerged in Pakistan's conservative, heavily male-dominated society to commit their life to defending women's rights. Asma Jahangir, a well-known Pakistani lawyer and Supreme Court of Pakistan advocate, is best known for her work as a human rights activist. In this capacity, she has had to take on both the civilian autocrats and the military dictatorships of Generals Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf. Her steadfast opposition to the army's involvement in politics is legendary.

Asma Jahangir and her sister Hina Jilani founded the first law practise run only by women in Pakistan in 1980 when they joined forces with a few other rights activists and attorneys to form the AGHS Legal Aid Cell. In the past, AGHS has offered legal assistance to a number of women and members of minority groups. It continues to serve as the standard by which Pakistan's legal system and public law will be measured in the history of the country.

In addition, Asma led the group of activists who founded the Women's Action Forum. She organised rallies against the application of fundamentalist legislation, particularly the Law of Evidence, using these forums. Her troubles persisted after the 1980s, when Pakistan was ruled by civilian governments. She continued to be frank and refused to take a partisan position. She won widespread appreciation and rose to prominence as a representative of Pakistan's progressive and liberal-democratic movements.