Over the last few decades, the issue of women and peace has received increasing attention. Although a minority among combatants, women experience devastating harm and violence in times of war. At the same time, women are consistently excluded from peace negotiations. It is estimated that women account for approximately 90% of civilian victims in armed conflicts, and for less than 8% of the participants of peace negotiations. Women’s unequal position in society is one of the leading causes of increased gender-based violence and discrimination during wartime, but is gender inequality a contributing cause of war? Recent research exploring the link between gender differences and social violence points in that direction.

Taking high fertility rates and low workforce participation as known indexes of gender inequality, Caprioli found that countries with higher gender inequality rates were significantly more likely to experience internal conflict. Above and beyond other known causes of conflict, states with higher fertility rates (3.01 and higher) were twice as likely to experience internal conflict. Strikingly, countries with 10% or less women in the workforce were 30 times more likely to experience internal conflicts than their more egalitarian counterparts ( >40% women in the workforce).

This research provides concrete evidence of the negative repercussions of gender inequality beyond cases of discrimination and violence against women. States with strong hierarchies that support discrimination tend to have social norms that make violence more acceptable, which in return increases the likelihood of internal conflict. Building on Caprioli’s conclusions, higher levels of political, social, and economic gender equality are essential not only for the prevention of gender-based violence but for the promotion of more peaceful societies.