'The Informal is Political' - How Karenni Women Build Peace Amid Protracted Conflict and Displacement in Myanmar (Borchard - 5814401)

Abstract

This thesis explores the multifaceted engagement of Karenni women in peacebuilding, recognising the challenges posed by entrenched gender hierarchies and prolonged conflict in Myanmar. Utilising a critical intersectional feminist approach the research highlights how the capacity-building initiatives of Karenni women in exile and inside Karenni State create new spaces for leadership within their households, communities and political institutions. By focusing on women's daily experiences and their engagement in peacebuilding mechanisms in the wider Karenni community, essentialist assumptions about gender and peace are questioned. The exploration of women's diverse peace practices reveals the power of the informal sphere, challenging prevailing notions about the impact of women’s small, creative acts on social transformation and policy development. The case study on Karenni women highlights how capacity-building projects have enhanced their skills and knowledge thereby strengthening their ability to advocate for gender rights and peace. Central to the theoretical debate is the conceptualisation of 'everyday peacebuilding' and 'capacity-building,' which provide crucial insights into the progress of gender-just agency, whereby 'capacity-building' is presented as a transformative process that allows women to translate resources and opportunities into social transformation. This process is argued to foster a beneficial cycle of empowerment that not only advances more gender-just realities but also challenges traditional norms.