War and Women’s Emancipation: Unexpected Consequences of Conflict

Abstract

This article analyzes the impact of armed conflicts on the process of granting women political and social rights. The hypothesis assumes that wars, despite their destructive nature, accelerated emancipation by forcing states to redefine gender roles. The narrative focuses on suffrage, complemented by issues related to education, work, and women’s social position. Historical examples reveal different paths toward equality: from New Zealand, through Europe, to Latin America, Asia, and Africa. The true catalyst of change, however, was World War I, when women massively replaced men in economic and public life, leading to a wave of reforms (e.g., in Poland, Germany, and Austria). Progress was uneven: France and Italy introduced suffrage only after World War II, Greece and Spain tied it to civil wars, and Switzerland delayed until 1971. Similar dynamics occurred outside Europe: the United States adopted the 19th Amendment in 1920; in India and Japan, women’s rights were tied to postwar reforms; while in Israel and Egypt they were linked to broader political transformations. In Africa, decolonization and conflicts accelerated emancipation, with Rwanda after 1994 becoming an example of women’s dominant role in politics. In Latin America, wars and dictatorships also contributed to systemic transformations. Thus, although wars destabilized societies, they simultaneously opened the way to equality. Emancipation became not only an ideological demand but also a social and political necessity.