Assessing The Socio-Economic Impact of Armed Conflict on Women in South Kivu, Drc (2000-2020)

Abstract

This thesis proposal assessed the socio-economic impact of armed conflict on women in South Kivu, DRC, between 2000 and 2020. The study investigated how prolonged conflict shaped women’s income, health, education, social roles, and overall quality of life within a context of displacement, violence, and resource competition. Guided by feminist conflict theory, intersectionality, protracted social conflict theory, and policy implementation theory, the study framed the analysis around identity-based tensions, inequalities, and institutional barriers that perpetuated women’s vulnerability. The research focused on women’s lived realities, particularly internally displaced persons and survivors of gender-based violence, while highlighting how multiple identities such as age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status influenced resilience. A mixed-methods design was adopted, combining stratified surveys with purposive interviews and focus groups. Primary data were gathered through questionnaires and in-depth interviews, supported by pretesting for clarity and cultural relevance. Reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha, while validity was ensured through expert review. Quantitative analysis employed descriptive statistics and inferential tests, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The study aimed to provide both measurable trends and personal experiences, producing actionable insights for policymakers, NGOs, and local communities. The findings were anticipated to guide gender-sensitive recovery strategies, strengthen resilience programs, and contribute to peacebuilding initiatives. Suggestions for future research included expanding the scope, integrating additional variables, and exploring longitudinal perspectives to address knowledge gaps. The study revealed that armed conflict between 2000 and 2020 had a severe and multidimensional socio-economic impact on women in South Kivu, DRC, with quantitative findings showing strong correlations between conflict exposure and losses in income, education, health, and livelihood stability, while regression results highlighted the moderating role of interventions such as humanitarian aid, education initiatives, legal frameworks, and community support. Qualitative narratives reinforced these findings by illustrating the lived realities of women, marked by displacement, poverty, food insecurity, sexual violence, and deteriorating living conditions, with young women particularly vulnerable. The conclusions established that conflict systematically eroded women’s stability and security, yet effective interventions, though limited, provided critical buffers, emphasizing the need for stronger institutional frameworks and sustainable empowerment strategies. Based on these findings, the study recommended strengthening legal protections against gender-based violence, expanding livelihood recovery and empowerment programs, integrating women’s needs into peacebuilding and recovery strategies, and institutionalizing support mechanisms into national development frameworks to bridge emergency relief with long-term resilience. Suggestions for further research included adopting longitudinal designs using secondary data, expanding the scope to other regions or demographic groups, incorporating additional independent variables such as cultural norms and governance quality, and embracing participatory mixed-method approaches to ensure that women’s voices directly inform theory, policy, and practice in addressing conflict’s socio-economic toll.