New Books in Human Rights Melissa Johnston, "Building Peace, Rebuilding Patriarchy: The Failure of Gender Interventions in Timor-Leste" (Oxford UP, 2023)
Dec 21, 2024
Melissa Johnston, a peace and conflict studies lecturer at the University of Queensland and author of "Building Peace, Rebuilding Patriarchy," discusses the shortcomings of gender interventions in Timor-Leste. She highlights how these initiatives, meant to empower women, often reinforce existing class and gender hierarchies. Johnston critiques the effectiveness of gender-responsive budgeting and microfinance, revealing how they may perpetuate patriarchal structures instead of fostering true equality. Her insights challenge conventional peacebuilding strategies and advocate for a deeper understanding of local dynamics.
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Mixed Outcomes of Gender Interventions
- Gender interventions in peacebuilding aim to improve women's empowerment and create stable societies.
- However, these interventions often yield mixed results, failing to fully address gender inequalities.
Focus on Specific Interventions
- Dr. Johnston analyzes gender-responsive budgeting, domestic violence law, and microfinance initiatives in Timor-Leste.
- These interventions have mixed results, often reinscribing existing class and gender hierarchies.
Elite Power and Gender
- Timor-Leste's political elite's power influences ideas about gender roles, legitimate violence, and class boundaries.
- These power structures have historical roots, including periods of slavery, colonialism, and occupation.