Women and War in Rwanda: Gender, Media and the Representation of Genocide

The 1994 genocide in Rwanda, which followed the death of President Habyarimana, was one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the twentieth century and shamed both African and global leaderships. Examining how international political discourse on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda is gendered, Georgina Holmes argues that states, militaries and human rights organisations use gendered narratives for political gain, and breaks new ground in analysing the role of gender in the conflict. Scholars of political science contend that narratives are used strategically by states to influence and shape the behaviour of other actors in the international system. This book explore show, through processes of denial and revisionism, strong states with geopolitical interests in the Great Lakes region of Africa, African states directly involved in conflict, militia groups and rebels, as well as human rights activists and NGOs, all employ media narratives strategically with the aim of influencing political decision-making and public perceptions of genocide and war.