How does the prevalence of female combatants in a rebel group influence conflict severity? Previous research has investigated the impact conflict has on women but has overlooked women’s contributions to conflict. Diverging from this paradigm, recent quantitative research has investigated why women join rebellions, why rebel groups recruit them, and how this affects conflict dynamics and outcomes. This study contributes to this new direction by asking how the gender composition of a rebel group influences the number of battle deaths amassed during a conflict. I hypothesize that a higher prevalence of female combatants in a rebel group increases conflict severity. I argue that female combatants increase rebel group capabilities, creating parity between rebel-state dyads, which then produces a greater quantity of battle deaths. Using a dataset on women’s prevalence in 211 rebel groups between 1989 and 2014, I run an ordinary least squares regression model to test my hypothesis. This study’s empirical evidence shows support for my hypothesis but does not yield any substantive indication of how female combatants contribute to severity. The causal mechanism behind this relationship remains for future research to uncover.

<p dir="ltr">Colombia has endured the longest armed conflict in Latin America. In 2016, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) signed a historic peace agreement. The reintegration of ex-combatants into society is one of the most challenging aspects of any peace process, particularly for women fighters who break traditional gender norms, often have lower socioeconomic status, and some belong to indigenous communities. This study examines their challenges, focusing on the intersections of gender, ethnicity, and class systemic oppressions. Using in-depth interviews with 30 former FARC-EP combatants, this research explores how gender norms influence reintegration, how intersectional stigma is navigated, and how resilience is enacted. The findings reveal that while some former women fighters defy traditional gender norms, others accept them, potentially contributing to higher unemployment rates. The study also uncovers the complex layers of intersectional stigma these women face, including gender-based discrimination, assumptions about their sexual behavior, and rejection from indigenous communities. To navigate this stigma, ex-combatants employ various strategies, such as choosing silence, hiding their identity, avoiding outsiders, ignoring stigma, or challenging stigma. The study illustrates how former women FARC-EP combatants demonstrate resilience through collective action by developing projects that benefit both ex-combatants and surrounding communities. Rooted in FARC-EP's revolutionary principles, this approach showcases their dedication to building a more equitable society and serves as a powerful response to intersectional oppression. The study makes three key theoretical contributions. First, it significantly advances feminist organizational communication by highlighting the connection between feminist resilience, collective action, and the pursuit of the common good. Second, it further develops the Stigma Management Communication (SMC) theory by showing how intersectional stigma is managed. Third, it integrates the concept of intersectional stigma experienced by ex-combatants into organizational communication literature, particularly within the context of peacebuilding efforts in Colombia. The findings can inform the design of more effective reintegration programs and policies for former women FARC-EP combatants in Colombia, addressing their unique challenges.</p>