Can National, Regional and Non-governmental Organizations Effectively Build Social Capital amongst Women in Post-Conflict Societies?
Presented on the panel “Gender, War and Conflict” at the Northeastern Political Science Association, Nov. 15-17, 2007, in Philadelphia, Pa. Abstract: Social capital amongst women in underdeveloped countries usually depends on ties a woman’s husband has with entities inside and outside the community. After a conflict, the structure of social capital changes, as well as the needs of community members. This is because so many men perish during a war, leaving their widows behind to rebuild the community. This paper will discuss the development of social capital amongst women in post-conflict societies. It seeks to explain the effectiveness of national, regional and non-governmental organizations to develop social capital within the fractured community. By comparing the social capital structure prior to conflict with the structure after the conflict, the roles of organizations in building social capital will be examined. The three conflict areas that will be explored are Rwanda, Guatemala a
