ISS Invisible - Contents

This report chapter examines the identity transformations of female ex-combatants from the Tigrean People’s Liberation Army (TPLF) in Ethiopia. Based on narrative interviews conducted in 2002 with 11 women who were recruited as children and demobilised in 1992/1993, the study explores how their military experience fostered a sense of gender equality and self-confidence that conflicted with traditional Ethiopian societal norms during their reintegration into civilian life.

• Female fighters in the TPLF adopted a masculine 'fighter' identity to distance themselves from traditional femininity, which included cutting their hair short and adopting masculine body language and social styles to communicate their status to civilians.
• Recruitment of young girls into the TPLF was driven by a diverse array of self-serving interests rather than solely by forced recruitment or political indoctrination. Motivations included seeking education, escaping early or unwanted marriages, kinship, and a sense of belonging, with political awareness often developing only after joining.
• Within the TPLF, a Marxist-Leninist ideology of equality was implemented, resulting in shared labor between men and women, including women in combat and men in the kitchen. The organization maintained strict discipline regarding sexual relations, and rape was reported as rare and severely punished.
• Demobilised women experienced significant difficulty transitioning to civilian life due to a loss of collective identity and a lack of domestic skills. Many struggled with the sudden expectation to perform traditional 'women's work' in the household and faced social conflict with community members who were scandalised by their inability to perform domestic chores like making enjira.
• Ex-fighters developed a direct and assertive communication style that often caused conflict in civilian professional environments, where it was perceived as lacking politeness. However, the women viewed this style as more honest and open than the 'shy' or 'frightened' demeanor of women who had not been fighters.
• The experience of being a fighter provided these women with lasting psychological empowerment, including increased self-confidence, a belief in gender equality, and the agency to make independent decisions regarding marriage and reproductive health, directly challenging traditional Ethiopian norms of female passivity.
• Despite their empowerment, the political identities of female ex-combatants were largely ignored during peace-building initiatives. The author notes that the July 1991 Addis Ababa transitional conference report contained no mention of priorities for women, focusing instead on regional self-determination and Eritrean independence.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). ISS Invisible - Contents. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/INVISIBLECHAP6.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. ISS Invisible - Contents. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/INVISIBLECHAP6.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=ISS Invisible - Contents |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/INVISIBLECHAP6.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndiss, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{ISS Invisible - Contents}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/INVISIBLECHAP6.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }