Our world is not only unequal and unjust but also filled with ironies. One particular irony that has resurfaced recently is that militaries, despite their evolving policies and public relations campaigns, are still hypermasculine and, at times, envision thriving in hegemonic masculinity spaces.

In many parts of the world, women are now being "allowed" to serve in armed forces, to wear the same medals, and to march to the same beat. They are even being promoted. But women must not confuse these optics of token visibility with equality. The equality stance often turns out to be nothing more than a rehearsed political script. A woman might wear a uniform, but can she rewrite or even slightly edit the doctrine? Can she rename the war?

I find it ironic too that as an advocate of peace with dignity, I have to accept the idea of UN peacekeeping forces, where many enemy countries work together for global peace and better salaries. This piece is not about why peace does not make money in business studies or media headlines unless associated with economy and trade, nor about the billions that war does. It is, however, a painful nod to the fact that sexism is now an established constituency of war and conflicts.

As a student of peace advocacy and GBV dynamics, I had to study the anatomy and pathology of war with a feminist lens. There used to be a subtle, yet deeply rooted sexism it perpetuates. Now with changed times, it has become more obvious. So much so that our old enemy and neighbour could not........

© The Express Tribune