Gender, Conflict, and Health: Evaluating Women's Access to Healthcare in Afghanistan, the DRC, and Rwanda
Aranda, Karen
Aranda, Karen
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Abstract
This research investigates how gender-focused policies implemented during and after the conflicts in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Rwanda, improved or worsened the access of women to healthcare services and their right to health. Although post-conflict reconstruction and feminist theories provide important conceptual foundations for addressing gender disparities, their influence on policy and practice has often been limited or superficial. Through a comparative analysis of gender policy development across differing conflict timelines, this study reveals how the superficial or delayed application of feminist principles has resulted in persistent health inequities and systemic neglect of women’s needs—particularly in Afghanistan and the DRC, where instability continues. Rwanda, by contrast, demonstrates how sustained, feminist-informed policymaking can positively shape women's health outcomes in post-conflict settings. The research argues that the failure to institutionalize gender-sensitive health reforms undermine peacebuilding and entrenches long-term gender inequality. Further, it calls for a more profound commitment to feminist perspectives in transitional governance, emphasizing that women’s health must be central to any meaningful recovery effort.
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Master of Arts in International Affairs -- John Cabot University, Fall 2025.
Date
2025
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Keywords
Women's rights, Right to health
Citation
Aranda, Karen. "Gender, Conflict, and Health: Evaluating Women's Access to Healthcare in Afghanistan, the DRC, and Rwanda". Master's Thesis, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. 2025.