From helplessness to agency: examining the plurality of women's experiences in armed conflict

This article explores the prevailing pattern of the absence of women from decision-making bodies during times of conflict because of them being portrayed as intrinsically weak and vulnerable and in need of protection. The article deconstructs the myth that women are the helpless victims of war and illustrates how it is a human rights violation to have women and children designated as de facto “vulnerable”. The article examines how not only do women frequently take up arms but also resiliently cope with the ravages of war such as sexual and physical violence, displacement, and dealing with the losses of their spouses or children. The article concludes by arguing that plurality of women’s experiences during armed conflict ought to be considered not just as victims of conflict, but also as leaders, survivors, and armed combatants.