Constitutionalizing Gender Equality as a Path to Peace in Post-Second World War Socialist Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51204/HLH_26103AKeywords:
Constitution of the Federal National Republic of Yugoslavia of 1946., Yugoslavia, Gender equality, Women’s Antifascist FrontAbstract
In the Federal National Republic of Yugoslavia (FNRY) the Second World War (WW2) left behind both destruction and a chance for social change. This was espe-cially the case in the area of gender relations. The paper investigates how the new-ly formed socialist state used constitutional and legal mechanisms to embed gender equality into its legal and institutional framework, which served as a foundation for peace and national unity. It adopts a broader understanding of peace, not merely as the absence of war but as a concept closely linked to social justice and gender equality. The Women’s Antifascist Front of Yugoslavia (AFŽ) was essential not only in the an-tifascist movement but in the domain of legal reform as well. Crucial turning points that demonstrate the institutionalisation of gender equality include the 1945 Law on Voters’ Lists, which granted women full suffrage, and the 1946 Constitution which guaranteed equality in all areas of life for every citizen. These reforms represented sig-nificant progress on paper. However, deeply rooted gender norms continued to persist, which exposed the gap between law and everyday practice. This paper investigates how postwar legal frameworks attempted to transform equality into lasting peace.
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