Feminization of Female FARC-EP Combatants: From War Battle to Social-Economical Struggle

Women combatants of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) participated in the Colombian peace process at different stages, at the negotiation table, at the signing of the agreement, and in the implementation of the accords. However, the process of reincorporation into civil society also produces new roles that do not appear in the Peace Agreement. Once they lay down their arms, FARC-EP women want to enjoy all human rights and expand their freedoms. But the societies that receive them have structural flaws in the way they are treated. They are acquiring, adapting, or resisting gender regulations, not widely available in the armed group. Based on qualitative fieldwork, this research aims to expose functionings and real capabilities, in the light of dimensions of reincorporation. Further evaluations of achievements and limitations suggest that female FARC-EP ex-combatants face greater barriers, burdens, and gaps than their male counterparts. These refer to unpaid domestic and care work, and gender-based violence and discrimination.