Women suffer terribly from war. Too frequently they experience rape, forced displacement, increased care responsibilities, fear, and trauma. And yet amidst the horrors of war, women often demonstrate remarkable courage in protecting their communities and mobilizing for peace.

International organizations and gender activists have fought to ensure that the burdens women face in war are recognized and redressed. They have also joined together with grassroots women’s organizations to advocate for women’s rights and gender equality in transitions to peace. In contexts like Rwanda, Nepal, and Colombia, transitions to peace have brought record levels of women into the post-war governance process. In fact, countries that have experienced war often see higher levels of gender equality in politics than those that have not.