Women & Children as Targets of War

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution’s Dialogue & Difference Project organizes events focusing on current and emerging topics and concerns. The event scheduled for November 30^th, shines the light of inquiry on the skyrocketing death tolls of women and children at the hands of Hamas, Israel, and proxy groups within and without the region.

Children and women have long been seen as legitimate targets and have been killed with impunity. In other words, they are seen as legitimate targets not only from the point of view of destroying the group under assault but also assuring that the population of that group will be decimated.

With this grievous reality, there is the whole dynamic of war crimes and how they are prosecuted, supported, or not by national and international actors. Within these frames, certain groups are seen as cannon fodder and expendable in the broader scope of international power and/or revenge for past historical or ongoing abuses. Additionally, for some, the slaughter of the enemy, no matter how young, can be framed as a reciprocal engagement, a preventative, and, therefore, a righteous endeavor.

This virtual Dialogue & Difference session will start with an overview of the ground rules for this event, including radical listening, radical empathy, speaking from ‘I’ perspective, and listening to understand. The session will benefit from the insights on the topic provided by several experts from the Carter School and beyond, followed by a Q&A with the audience. Our goal is to provide opportunities for constructive discussions to explore how Mason could respond to such global challenges as the impact of war on women and children. Finally, the event will be concluded with suggestions for follow-up ideas for this event. 

Panelists:

Dr. Patricia Maulden, Professor of Conflict Resolution, Carter School

Dr. Roger Mac Ginty, Professor in Defence, Development, and Diplomacy, Durham University, UK

Federico Borello, Former Executive Director of Center for Civilians in Conflict