International Gender & Peacebuilding Training Programme, Romania

This course offers an introduction to gender studies, analysis of the complex relationships between gender and social constructions and between gender, race and class privileges. During the course we will explore the interdependency between gender and power and focus on theory and practices of gender roles in different societies. The course will seek to explore how understanding of gendered social constructions can help in addressing gender inequalities and promote gender equity and cultures of peace. <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O />

The course will then focus on militarism, the war system and peace – as expressions of social and gender-based constructions. It will demonstrate a direct connection between militarism and gender based violence, gender based societal positions and violent societies through examples from the Middle East, South East Asia, Western and Eastern Europe, with emphasis on the Balkans and the <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />US.

Gender identity will be examined, via dichotomies such as passivity-activity, hero-victim (heroism-victimhood / victimization), femininities-masculinities, strong-weak and peace-war. It will highlight gender issues related to war such as rape as a tool of war, human and women’s security and protection strategies such as community based security, national and international intervention and peace keeping operations in relation to gendered power relationships.

Contextual texts used in the training will include: UN Security Council resolution 1325, CEDAW.

This programme is particularly relevant for senior and middle-range staff and executive officers working in the fields of:
- gender equity
- education
- social work
- peacebuilding and conflict transformation
- human rights
- democratization
- human developement