In Search of Security without Guns: The Role of Grassroots Institutions in addressing Conflicts and Injustice in Tanzania from a Gender Perspective

Abstract

Over recent decades there has been an increasing recognition that a sizeable share of  justice and security provision takes place outside state structures. Consequently, there  has been a mounting interest in studying non-state actors in security and justice  provision including grassroots community structures. Although there is a plethora of  studies on the role of grassroots security institutions in Africa, such studies remain  largely gender-blind. This article contributes to the existing knowledge on community  organized-security mechanisms by exploring the manner in which gender roles and  relations are socially constructed at the grassroots structures of justice, peace and  security.Keywords: Tanzania, Grassroots Institutions, Community Security, Gender, PeaceBernadeta Killian, Associate Professor, University of Dar es Salaam, Email: bernadetak@yahoo.comParestico Pastory, Lecturer, University of Dar es Salaam, Mkwawa University College of Education,  Email: Parestico.pastory@gmail.com