The Effect of Anglophone War and Arm Conflict on Women and Children in the Northern Part (Bwitingi, Muea, Bomaka) Of the Buea Municipality
Department: Gender Studies
No of Pages: 51
Project Code: GS8
References: Yes
Cost: 5,000XAF Cameroonian
: $15 for International students
ABSTRACT
Women
and children are the future of every nation, economy and the world at large.
With the increase in the conflicts worldwide in critical areas like Israel,
Iraq, Iran and other countries their future is threatened.
Conflicts
ranging from political, economic and territorial issues have taken up central
stage and whatever cause and form of conflict women and children are always
affected. Many of these conflicts are
influenced by greed, personal interest, injustice and ill-treatment of minority
groups.
The
current study sought to investigate or determine the causes of armed conflict,
its effects on women and children and the coping strategies employed to combat
the situation. The study used a descriptive research design and the target
population was women and children in the Northern part of the Buea
municipality.
The
study used Random probability sampling to select 50 women respondents, and primary
data was collected using questionnaires through cross validation making spatial
use of content analysis, while quantitative data was analysed using descriptive
statistics (SPSS).
The
data was presented through percentages, pie charts, tables and graphs. The
study found out that women and children suffer emotional, social, financial,
physical, and psychological and even educationally due to war and armed
conflict than any other group.
They
suffer more even though they do not initiate or take part in armed conflicts,
this study further recommends that women themselves initiate, negotiate and be
active participants in peace talks, conflict prevention and resolution same to
the government and NGO’s
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the
study
Unlike
men, children and women are more prone to all types of negligence and
exploitation in warring environment and conflict zones. It is undoubtedly true
that, we can provide an avenue for such exploitation when need arises.in
today’s world, one form or another type of conflict does exist, UNIFEM (2015).
War
has always been part of human experience and it is undoubtedly evident in all
over the world in various forms. Every year millions of people lose their lives
of suffer fatal to non-fatal injuries as a result of armed conflict and war,
which ends up violating women and children.
United
nations development fund for women, (UNIFEM), (2015), reveals that, more than
70% of war casualties are civilians, most of whom are women and children. These
conflicts are intra-state, non-state and extra-state conflicts (Mabuka A and
Bukaliya 2015).
According
to international law, war in principle can only take place between sovereign
political entities; war is thus a means for resolving differences between units
of higher order of political organization.
The
majority of those who have been concerned with war as a socio-political
phenomenon have also adopted as their basic premise that there is a difference
between domestic and international conflicts.
Sore,
(1992) defined war as a political act by means of which states unable to adjust
to disputes regarding their obligations, rights and interest, resort to armed
force to decide which is the strongest and may therefore, impose its will on
others.
Armed
conflict on its part to the Use of Force Committee USA (2008), cited by
O’Connell (2009), is defined as the presence of organized groups that are
engaged in intense fighting. While Stewart, (2003), defines armed conflict as
organized collective violent confrontation between at least two groups, either
state or non-state actors.
Hazen,
(2008), identified armed conflict as the intentional use of illegitimate force
(actual or threatened) with arms or explosives against a person, group,
community or state, which undermines people’s security and/ or sustainable
development.
The
world has suffered a number of wars and conflicts over the past sixty years.
SUMMERFIELD, (1995), reports that, there has been an estimate of 150 wars in
the developing world since World War 2, which left about 22million people dead.
Enough
have been known about war and armed conflict but its effects on women and
children have not been addressed to liberate women and children as the main
victims especially in Africa.
Africa,
Asia, USA and the Middle East have always been amongst the conflicting regions
with countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi being
the limelight of conflict.
While
Somalia and Eretria on the other hand, have been in turmoil. In Asia, Pakistan
and Afghanistan have been fighting for the so called insurgent and the
protracted conflict has created unbearable conditions for women and children.
The
USA is not left out as conflicts have been witnessed in states like Nicaragua,
Cambodia just to name a few. Snoubar and Duman, (2015), pointed out the neglect
of women and children most especially in war zones because there are no proper
arms to protect them.
Added
to this, women and girls are tortured, killed, injured, disabled and even
targeted as tools for attack. They suffer psychological trauma as love ones die
or witness their killings, violence before and after combats zones, are
heightened at risk of diseases including sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s)
and HIV/AIDS.
They
join or are forced to join armed groups, overburdened with caring of the
wounded, sick and the displaced. Teenage girls are victims of teenage
pregnancy, have poor ante-natal conditions and delivery, as not up to 15% of
births in war zones are attended to by midwives.
Even
though women and children do not engage in war, the impact is felt by them. The
UN Platform for Action (1995) describes how women and girls are mostly affected
by war and armed conflicts because of their unequal status and sex.
Seifert
(1993) points out that, if anyone intends to destroy a culture women are the
tactical targets of special significance because of their important role in the
family structure (procreation). They risk their lives by crossing fields and
braving shelling and bombing, while seeking for food, water and fuel wood,
(Gardan 1997).
Even though they do not often involve in
decisions leading to war or its end, women still play important roles in
nurturing values of reconciliation in their children (El-Bushra and Lopez,
1994).
In recent years, internal conflicts have
erupted in countries of the world and Cameroon is no exception.
The,
(2019), UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA) in
collaboration with UNICEF, WHO and UNCHCR reports on Cameroon’s Anglophone
Crisis have revealed that at least 4 million people are affected, 1.3 million
in need, 160000 people targeted, 437,500 internally displaced, 330,000 others
in need and more than 50% of them are women and children.
Despite
the lack and ineffectiveness of the available arms, non-governmental
organizations ( NGO’s) have played an important role for years, in providing
social services for women and children in war zones, the AYAH foundation in
Cameroon is one of such organizations caring for the displaced in this period,
many of whom are women and children.
This
study is built on the premise that women and children suffer more from war and
armed conflicts than any other group, be it from the physical, emotional,
psychological and social angles as they become recipients of aid and other
things that can sustain them and their families during war and conflicts.
1.2 Statement of the
Problem.
Women
constitute more than 50% of the world’s population, but gender norms, roles,
culture and values have placed them in an angle of low power relations in all
spheres and aspects of the society.
Women
in conflict zones are forced to go outside what is defined by society as their
domain to ensure safety and protection of their children and loved ones, even
though they are prone to all kinds of exploitation.
In
the year 2000, the UN Security Council adopted the ground breaking resolution
1325 (2000) on women, peace and security. It recognized that war impact women
differently and reaffirms the need to increase women’s role in decision making
related to conflict prevention and resolution.
The
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted in 1995 by 189 UN member
states made women and armed conflict an area of concern amongst the 12 critical
areas of concern outlined.
However,
understanding the magnitude of the social, health, psychological, emotional,
economic and physical (violent) effects of war and armed conflicts on women
will provide a solid foundation for building programs of appropriate designs,
size and scope to assist women in war and conflict zones all over the world.
Statistics
shows that women in third world countries are exposed to higher levels of
marginalization and are forced to take part in certain aspects of war and armed
conflicts. They participate in acts of violence and armed conflicts, hence, are
exposed to killings.
They
also suffer from poverty, malnutrition and deteriorating health situations and
are victims of internally displaced and externally displaced persons during war
and are often separated from the rest of the family hence homelessness.
They
are vulnerable to trafficking, sexual exploitation, and psychological trauma,
single headed households due to loss of husband, which forces them to work for
very long hours, for low salaries, poor working conditions and vulnerable to
different kinds of exploitation.
Children
on the other hand, are neglected during and after events of war and armed
conflicts, malnourished, remain open to all kinds of abuse especially sexual
abuse, trafficking and abduction.
(Derek
Summerfield, 1990), Women as mothers and family organizers are direct victims
of violence especially sexual abuse and rape which is a common tactic in
conflict. Also, Women are targeted through the victimization of their children
or other family members so that, or though they may remain physically unharmed
they still suffer the consequences.
It
is against this background that this study intends to investigate the effects
of the North West and south West war and armed conflict on women and children in
the Northern area of the Buea municipality.
1.3 Objectives of the study
1.3.1 Main Objectives
- The main objective of this study is to determine the effect of the North West and South West war and armed conflict on women and children in the Northern area of the Buea municipality (Muea, Bomaka and Bwitingi).
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
- To identify the demographic characteristics of the respondents.
- To examine the causes of armed conflicts.
- To determine the effects of war and armed conflicts on women and children in the Northern area of the Buea municipality.
- To identify the coping strategies of women and children during war and armed conflicts in the Northern area of the Buea municipality
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