Female combatants and rebel group behaviour: Evidence from Nepal

Recent research examines when and why women join rebel groups as combatants. However, we are only beginning to understand how their presence affects rebel group behaviour and conflict dynamics more generally. I address this gap by analysing how women's participation influences two dimensions of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Conflict management and peace science 2023-05, Vol.40 (3), p.260-280
Main Author: Mehrl, Marius
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Civil war
Group dynamics
Military effectiveness
Military personnel
Participation
Victimization
Women
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Summary:Recent research examines when and why women join rebel groups as combatants. However, we are only beginning to understand how their presence affects rebel group behaviour and conflict dynamics more generally. I address this gap by analysing how women's participation influences two dimensions of rebel behaviour: their relationship to civilians and their fighting performance. I argue that a greater number of female rebels decreases civilian victimization, but also reduces rebel combat performance. I test these propositions using time-varying district-level data from the Nepalese civil war. The results support both expectations. These findings increase our understanding of the effects of women's participation in civil war.
ISSN:0738-8942
1549-9219
DOI:10.1177/07388942221082234