Having set out the theoretical and contextual framework of the book, I now explore the gendered experiences of the women and men in Chibolo and Pondores during and after the conflict. As described in the Introduction, ‘gender’ is often understood as attention on sexual violence in conflict and transitional justice (TJ) research and policy. This, however, frequently leads to a failure to analyse the underlying structural gendered inequalities which produce sexual and other gender-based violence in the first place. In this chapter, I describe the everyday gendered dynamics of conflict and postconflict lives, and how these are defined by structures of gender inequality. An understanding of these gendered changes across peace and conflict is important, as recognizing that gender relations are not rigid, and identifying and building upon instances of agency and change, provide entry points for reparation and reintegration processes to transform gender inequality in a more sustainable way.

I start this chapter by explaining traditional gender roles on Colombia's Caribbean coast, including how machismo – the hegemonic form of masculinity in Latin America – defines family relations. The private sphere of the family in turn is crucial for understanding the lack of success of gender-sensitive TJ and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) described in the following chapters. In this chapter, I set out how conflict disrupted traditional gender relations, both for IDPs and combatants, producing emancipatory experiences for women in both groups as well as changes in dominant models of masculinities. I contrast these fluid gender roles with the post-conflict situation, where maintaining those more equal gender roles has proven hard. I specifically look at women's participation in community structures, as well as their own organizational spaces. I explain the gendered relapse in the continuation of structural inequalities and gender roles for men and women, and connect it to agency and citizenship, concepts which are crucial to make gender justice more transformative.

Conflict-related gendered changes

Colombia's society is defined by a patriarchal social structure with clearly prescribed roles for men and women. This patriarchal regime is particularly strong on Colombia's Caribbean coast (Grupo de Memoria Historica 2010). Patriarchy in Latin America and beyond refers to a social system of male domination over women, in which authority is exercised by men in many spheres of life, including social relations, norms, institutions and language (Anthias and Yuval-Davis 1992; Lagarde y de los Rios 2014).