Social factors influencing women participation in community peace building in suna east sub county migori county, kenya

Abstract

This research study aimed at examining social factors influencing women participation in community peace building, Suna East Sub County. The experiences of women have shown that women are active agents of peace building at the community level. For sustainable peace to be realised it is necessary that women be fully engage in peace building process especially at the community level where they have vast experience with the day to day affairs. This study had the following research objectives:- To assess the influence of gender roles in women participation in community peace building in Suna East sub County. To determine the role of education in influencing women’s participation in community peace building in Suna East sub County. To establish how family support influences women participation in community peace building in Suna East sub County.This study used descriptive survey to collect data from the respondents who were women in Suna-East sub-County in Migori County. Within the Sub-County, the study focused on the twenty-five (25) leaders of the five (5) women groups involved in peace education in the Sub-County. The study also engaged five (5) key community leaders, particularly the chiefs and key church leaders; thus having a total population of thirty (30). This study establishes that gender roles influence women participation in community peace building in Suna East Sub County. This is made possible by uniting different families and mobilising people towards peace building efforts in their community. Furthermore, women peace initiatives have helped create lasting peace within the community. Through peace building seminars, education brings about social transformation of women by changing their views on the society and peace hence they become more engaged in civic matters. The family support influence women participation in community peace building. This is so because families accept women proposals on peace, they involve women in peace building activities and also sponsor women activities. This study recommends that the Government of Kenya promotes women participation in community peace building through empowering women in education, peace building training and enacting laws that are likely to promote women participation in community peace building. vii