While there are a number of factors that could cause conflict, empirical studies find that poor economic performance is associated with higher incidence of conflict. Being a poor country is correlated with most forms of violence. According to a new research report on gender and urban violence launched at the IBA, not only does there exist a connection between frustrated gender expectations and violence in Pakistan, but more importantly there is an interesting causation revealed between infrastructure, or the lack thereof, and subsequent violence. The infrastructure environment, particularly in terms of water, sanitation and transport, were found to influence the propensity for violence, and how men and women interact with one another. This is a thought-provoking correlation and intensifies the need to mend these developmental issues.
The research interestingly posits a lack of expression as a reason for why scarcity of infrastructure leads to violence. Masculinity and femininity are said to be roles that are performative in nature, and the deprivation of infrastructure also undermines the performance, which the study has found to be frustrating and thus a direct precursor for violence.
Although violence might be caused by many factors, low levels of infrastructure seem to increase the risks of conflict outbreaks and recurrence. Conflict, in turn, destroys the accumulated physical, social and human capital. The linkage between violence and development may form a self-reinforcing cycle. Consequently, policy measures to sustain infrastructure would also have an additional indirect impact in lowering the risk of violence.
As ever before, we are reminded that violence is a symptom of poverty, not a cause. To say otherwise perpetuates false information that has plagued policy in this country and made it impossible to affect real change. When you muddy the relationship between the two, it contributes to a myth that has plagued the poor forever: that their situation is their fault. The fact that this research pinpoints three infrastructure arenas to work on may be extremely helpful for policymakers.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2017.
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