SOURCE:

Faculty: Law
Department: Law

CONTRIBUTORS:

Ikpeazu, C. A.
Oji, E. A.

ABSTRACT:

Women increasingly bear the major burden of armed conflict in Africa. In recent years, particular attention has been drawn to the issue of violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Darfur Sudan. The significance of these developments attract the issue of protection of women in situations of armed conflict, as violations against women in armed conflicts have reached unprecedented and enormous levels. This also raises the question of the significance of International Human Rights Laws and International Humanitarian Laws for the protection of all civilians especially women in armed conflicts in Africa and the extent to which these Laws protect women. This dissertation discusses the nature of International Human Rights Laws and International humanitarian Laws and how they interplay to protect women in armed conflicts, women’s rights as human rights, women as victims of war time violations as well as the importance of drawing attention to the protection of women in armed conflicts. Additionally,the dissertation examines the extent of the protection of women in armed conflicts in Africa through the two basic instruments, that is, International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law and their sufficiency thereof. Studies have shown that while there are Declarations, Conventions, Articles and UN Resolutions to tackle the issues, women still suffer the brunt of armed conflicts in indescribable ways. Question now arises as to whether the existing laws are sufficient or whether the problem lies with the mode of implementation. Hence, the issues and challenges as they affect women with regards to these laws were analyzed. The doctrinal methodology was adopted for this research which includedanalysis ofStatutes, Conventions, Treaties, Textbooks, Journal Articles and Declarations.This dissertation posits that the inadequacy of the existing Laws lie majorly with the mode of implementation, as such, recommendations are proffered in this regard. It is recommended majorly among others to strengthen capacity of actors in mission environments through continuous, specialized and sustained training for peace keeping personnel on gender issues to encourage changes in attitude and to enter into constructive partnerships to generate and develop capacities of regional, national and community actors.