The need for a participatory approach in UN Peacebuilding

: the case of South Sudan

Abstract

This dissertation aims to study the gap between the theory and practice of the framework implemented by the United Nations Security Council 1325 (UNSCR 1325), which concerns the importance of women’s role in peacebuilding. Within the case study of South Sudan, this thesis analyzes the main challenges in the implementation of UNSCR 1325, addressing both the implemented policies and the living conditions of women in South Sudan after the civil wars in their country.The main question of the thesis will analyze the roles women played in the peacebuilding scenario after South Sudan’s civil wars. This question will be addressed within the context of how the conflicts in South Sudan impacted women, as well as the roles they played during these conflicts. The goal is to explore whether or not women had a meaningful participation in the peacebuilding context of South Sudan, as well as to understand what influenced the degree of their inclusion.This dissertation is divided into three chapters. The first chapter examines the nature of “new wars” and other key concepts in conflict and women studies. The second chapter analyses the history and implementation of UN’s frameworks surrounding women’s roles in peacebuilding. In the third chapter, the case study on peacebuilding in South Sudan is analyzed and discussed to better understand the importance of women’s participation in the process, and the consequences that both their inclusion and exclusion can have. The main goal of this thesis is to study the cruciality of inclusive peacebuilding, and to understand which obstacles stand in the way of their achievement.

Date of Award	15 Apr 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Mónica Dias (Supervisor)