Despite the high profile media reporting on sexual violence in the DRC, and the widely publicized responses of the international community, there is still very little real analysis of the real situation of women in the country. This book provides such detailed analysis of gender relations in the DRC, and goes beyond the usual explanations of sexual violence as a product of conflict, to examine the complex and socially constructed gender norms and roles which underlie incidences of violence. The book benefits from a comprehensive account of men's and women's roles in conflict, violence, peace building and reconstruction, and evaluates the impacts of national and international political responses.

Jane Freedman is Professor at the Université de Paris 8, and a member of the Centre de Recherches Sociologiques et Politiques de Paris (CRESPPA).

Introduction; Chapter 1 Gender Relations in Pre- and Post-Colonial Congo; Chapter 2 Gender and Armed Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Chapter 3 Sexual and Gender-Based Violence; Chapter 4 Gender and Peacebuilding; Chapter 5 Women's Political Participation and Representation; Chapter 6 International Responses; Chapter 101 Conclusions;