From Peace Talks to Parliaments: The Microprocesses Propelling Women into Formal Politics Following War

Women’s legislative representation often increases following armed conflict. Although various studies suggest a relationship between gender-inclusive peace negotiations and better outcomes for women, we know little about the processes linking these phenomena. Using social network analysis and drawing on qualitative interviews, we examine women’s participation in Burundi’s peace negotiations (1998–2000) and their increased political participation in post-accord national politics (2000–2005). We find that women’s civil society built social networks reliant on cross-ethnic collaboration and the support of international actors during the peace negotiations. With the aid of those networks, they successfully entered formal politics and passed pro-women legislation, where they developed cross-party alliances and maintained close relationships with civil society, increasing their effectiveness in parliament. This case suggests that evolving social networks are a crucial component of the explanation for women’s increased participation in politics during times of transition from conflict to peace.