Socio-Psychological Effects of Political Violence and War on Gender in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of political violence and war on gender in

Psycho-Social Effects of Violence, Terrorism, and War on Gender in South-East Region, Nigeria

“…Many children and aged were also abandoned either, because they are weak or many a time, children who cry too much were abandoned. This was the case of 1966-1967 Nigeria Civil War, and in the reprisal attacks that followed after the killing of the Igbos in the Northern states of Nigeria on and in 1990 (Chinwokwu & Arop, 2014). The abandoned children ended up being adopted or as slaves in the hands of their masters.…”

“…The 1966-1970 Civil War left most women widows, many men widowers, lost of lives, rape, injuries, untold hardships ranging from socioeconomic stress to psychosocial imbalance. Research shows that 60%-80% of the people exposed to war and political violence directly or indirectly suffered symptoms of post traumatic stress (Chinwokwu & Arop, 2014). Research findings indicates that mere living in a violent prone area, where the media is filled with images and reports of horrible violence destruction as we are witnessing today, can Nigeria has been greeted with series of political and civil violence, terrorism, and war since after independence in 1960.…”

“…Child soldiering is rampant in African states and this is as a result of war, political violence, war violence, and others. In some African countries, like Angola, Ethiopia, Uganda, Congo and Algeria, to mention but a few children are seen to be recruited into the military camps and actually carry gun to kill their fellow citizens (Chinwokwu & Arop, 2014). During the Nigerian Civil War of 1966-1970, the Biafra army recruited boys called "Boys Company".…”

“…Though political violence has a global phenomenon, there is no definite or common definition for the term. Attempt to define the phenomenon has aroused arguments among the intellectual communities (Chinwokwu & Arop, 2014). Political violence is a violence that is committed in the context of a political conflict or that which can be related either through its cause or motive to political issues.…”