The gendered risks of defending rights in armed conflict: Evidence from Colombia

Abstract

This article uses the case of Colombia to evaluate the gendered risks of social leadership and human rights activism in territories governed by armed groups. Existing data on Colombian human rights and social leader deaths reveals that men leaders are being killed at a much higher rate than women social leaders. In this article, we delve deeper into gendered patterns of violence against men and women leaders by focusing specifically on the content of the threats these leaders receive from armed groups. We analyzed 40 qualitative interviews with men and women social leaders who have worked in nine different conflict regions of Colombia to find that armed actors target men and women leaders with uniquely gender-specific threats. These findings tell us a great deal, not only about how armed groups govern those in the territories they control, but also about the gender biases they hold about men and women leaders who challenge their authority. Although women leader deaths are less common than those of their male counterparts, the threats and violence both receive are grounded in stereotypical gender norms, and thus merit gender-sensitive, context-specific analyses and responses.