Research Guides: Women and War: Home

Guide editors

Melissa Beuoy, Research Librarian for Interdisciplinary Studies

Cynthia Johnson, Head of Reference

Ying Zhang, Research Librarian for Asian Studies

Questions or comments? Please email Cynthia Johnson at cynthiaj@uci.edu

Introduction

How do wars impact women's lives? Do humanitarian efforts improve women's recovery from the impact of war? This guide provides selective resources to encourage research and exploration around these questions. The guide focuses on four themes: sexual violence, trauma and healing, refugees, and women combatants. We focused on wars and conflicts post-World War II and research published after 1980.

Ying Zhang, Research Librarian for East Asia Studies, has also created a guide specific to Korean Comfort Women.

Research Tips

Many of the resources listed through this guide (databases, books, articles, and multimedia) are accessible using the UCI Virtual Private Network (VPN) if working away from the UCI campus. Not a UCI affiliate? Please contact your local library about whether you have access to the resources of interest.

Useful databases:

GenderWatch This link opens in a new window
GenderWatch contains archival material dating back to 1970. This database includes journals, magazines, newsletters, regional publications, books, booklets and pamphlets, conference proceedings and governmental NGO and special reports devoted to women's and gender issues.
PAIS Index This link opens in a new window
The PAIS Index covers global public affairs, public and social policies, international relations, and world politics. It includes international sources such as journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference papers, web content, and more. Newspapers and newsletters are not included.
PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
Published by the American Psychological Association (APA), PsycINFO provides an international index for scholarly literature in the psychological, social, behavioral, and health sciences. The database includes material of relevance to psychologists and professionals in related fields such as psychiatry, management, business, education, social science, neuroscience, law, medicine, and social work.
Women's Studies International This link opens in a new window
A bibliographic database for women’s studies and feminist research. It provides indexing and abstracts for numerous journals, newsletters, bulletins, books, book chapters, reports, theses, dissertations and grey literature.
Only allows 5 users at one time. Try again later if inaccessible.
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts This link opens in a new window
Provides citations, abstracts, and indexing from political science literature, as well as international relations, law, and public administration/policy.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948, establishes fundamental human rights to be universally protected.

Numerous Articles of this document apply to the security of women. Specifically, Article 3 establishes that, "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person," and Article 5 states that, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

Humanitarian organizations and NGOs

Global Fund for Women
Global Fund for Women was founded in 1987 with the belief that women’s human rights are essential to social, economic, and political change around the world. The organization directly funds grass-roots women-led movements.
International Rescue Committee
The IRC helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and regain control of their future. Resources and reports.
Madre: fighting for feminist futures
MADRE is an international women's human rights organization. We partner with community-based women's groups worldwide facing war and disaster.Our mission is to advance women’s human rights by meeting urgent needs in communities and building lasting solutions to the crises women face. Grants, training, advocacy.
UN Women
UN Women is a global champion for gender equality, working to develop and uphold standards and create an environment in which every woman and girl can exercise her human rights and live up to her full potential. It is a trusted partner for advocates and decision-makers, and a leader in the effort to achieve gender equality.
UN Women: Global Database on Violence against Women
"The Global Database on Violence against Women provides easy access to comprehensive and up-to-date information on measures undertaken by United Nations Member States to address all forms of violence against women."