ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how the principle of distinction might be applied to women in new wars in Africa. It purposes that women are divided into three groups: women in state armed forces, women in non-state armed groups and women contributing to armed movements from within civilian populations. The chapter Recognising how external factors can affect classification results and seek to identify the correct legal interpretations – those that might be made were an optimum amount of information available – despite the fact that in practice this is seldom the case. The reality is that the principle of distinction is seldom applied to women. Women largely go unnoticed in legal determinations. Many women in African conflicts are involved in roles that do not require the perpetration of violence. Women in armed groups might be allocated a range of assignments, some of which constitute direct participation and some of which do not.
