Many, as I have just said, have become heads of household. Disregarding their ownership rights marginalizes them, thus depriving a large part of the community of its means of livelihood. The spiral of underdevelopment and violence continues, affecting not only the welfare of women and of their families, but also the peace, stability and economic prosperity of entire societies, and of countries and regions. On the other hand, women who have full and legally recognized access to their means of livelihood, can provide an essential contribution towards the reconstruction of societies emerging from conflicts. The links which women develop within their communities are deep and diverse.
Many women have children.
Perhaps more often than men, and particularly in societies where basic resources are scarce, they rely on the solidarity of members of their community. Any woman in a village, or in a refugee camp, will tell you how important it is to know that her neighbour can help her fetch water from a distant well, if she is too busy caring for her children. It is primarily women who suffer when communities are torn and divided. Preventing or healing such wounds is very important in post-conflict societies. In this respect, and if given the adequate means, women can play a key role in bringing together divided communities.