“We demanded, we raised our voices”

Under what conditions does cooperation between women’s civil society organizations (WCSOs) emerge? Further, once networks of WCSOs are formed, what structural characteristics of these networks facilitate the groups’ ability to shape the contents of peace agreements? This dissertation answers these questions through a mixed-methodological approach. I argue that the emergence of cooperation between WCSOs to make demands of combatants can be explained by two main factors. First, the relative openness of the gendered political opportunity structure (the ability for women to participate in civil society) pre-war and positive changes to it during war allows women to form relationships that are integral for groups to come together in times of extreme duress. Second, the gendered threat environment (dangers and consequences of these dangers that are distinctly gendered) creates grievances upon which women can mobilize. Using original event-level data on all civil wars from 1989-2020, I demonstrate that more open opportunity structures pre-conflict and increases in this openness due to the conflict increase the likelihood that women’s groups work together. I also find that heightened sexual violence and increasing battle deaths catalyze cooperation to make explicit demands of combatants.