Gender and Resource-Related Conflicts in Africa
In October 2017 NAI organized a Roundtable on Gender and Resource-Related Conflicts in Africa, bringing together researchers, policy makers, development practitioners and other stakeholders to interact at a policy-research platform on gender dynamics in resource-related conflicts in Africa.
NAI library staff compiled relevant information resources.
Background and key issues
Many African countries depend largely on natural resources for economic production both at the micro and macro levels. In these societies agriculture, forest and livestock production are major source of livelihood for many. The involvement of women is not restricted to the primary sector as women are now part of the work force in the secondary level within the natural resource extractive sector. However, there has been an upsurge in the number of violent conflicts over natural resources in Africa. Dispute over territories, official corruption, and unequal distribution of revenues from natural resources have contributed to this trend. Women, youths and children are the most vulnerable groups in conflict situations.
One of the challenges in natural resource management in Africa is the predominance of poor resource governance that promote poor access and inequality among different groups of people. For example, women, especially those in rural areas in the conflict-affected zones are more vulnerable than men because they often do not have rights over the natural resources. It is paradoxical that these women, whose main source of livelihoods is natural resources, have limited access to the same.
Current global change processes, such as climate change impacts, and demands for arable land and water resources by domestic and other trans-national actors, are also inducing new dynamics around natural resources.
(This is a modified text originally written by NAI researcher Shilpa M Asokan.)
NAI library collection
Clicking on the links will bring you to our search tool AfricaLit Plus, where you can narrow down or expand your query. Print titles are usually available for loan within the Nordics, and quite a few titles are freely available online.
Find titles on:
- Conflicts combined with (Gender or Women) 2010 – External link, opens in new window.
- (Conflicts and Natural resources) combined with (Gender or Women) External link, opens in new window.
- Gender studies External link, opens in new window.
- Gender roles External link, opens in new window.
- Gender equality External link, opens in new window.
Resources via Google Scholar
If you are at a higher educational institution, chances are they provide you access to licensed resources found via Google Scholar.
- Gender conflicts natural resources + Africa 2016- External link, opens in new window.
- Gender studies + Africa 2016- External link, opens in new window.
Free online resources focused on gender studies in Africa
African Gender Institute (AGI), University of Cape Town
Information about the activities, programme and projects, AGI newsletter, papers & reports, events, and links to gender and developments websites. http://agi.ac.za/ External link, opens in new window.
African women and sustainable development goals
In 2016 the library at Africa Study Centre in Leiden, Netherlands prepared an extensive web dossier with bibliographic references and internet resources on African women and sustainable development goals External link, opens in new window..
Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS)
An organization promoting and strengthening the role o African women in preventing, managing and resolving conflicts.
http://www.fasngo.org External link, opens in new window.
Search string with links to non-governmental organizations focused on gender issues from the Internet library sub-Saharan Africa (ilissAfrica), a portal to both library resources and internet resources on/in Africa.
NGO + Gender External link, opens in new window.
International Day of Rural Women 15 October
A UN website dedicated to the International Day of Rural Women with links to documents, multimedia and internet resources.
http://www.un.org/en/events/ruralwomenday/ External link, opens in new window.
Women, Peace & Security (UNIFEM)
UNIFEM’s framework for action on Women, Peace and Security.
http://www.womenwarpeace.org/ External link, opens in new window.
Women, Gender, and the Study of Africa
Short article from the Oxford Bibliographies by Beverly Stoeltje
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199846733/obo-9780199846733-0162.xml External link, opens in new window.