Most hot wars of recent memory, little and big,
have been resolved or nudged into remission through what is called a power-sharing agreement.
The big men from most or all of the warring parties
– and war is basically a guy thing, in case you hadn’t noticed –
shoulder in to the negotiating table and carve up a country’s or region’s military,
political,
and financial pie.
Then they proclaim the resulting deal “peace.”
But as I learned firsthand as an aid worker in one so-called post-conflict country after another,
when the men in power stop shooting at each other,
they often escalate the war against civilians – especially women and girls.
It seems to be hard for men to switch off violence,
once they’ve gotten the hang of it.