Women, the Military and Militarisation: Some Questions Raised by the South African Case

This paper illustrates how women, far from being marginalised from the process of militarisation, can actively contribute towards it. It also illustrates the similarities in the position of women in conventional and guerrilla armies. The South African case shows the durability of patriarchy and the fragility of the gains made for women during periods of war. It sharpens the debate about the relation between equal rights and women's participation in armies.