A single cotton tree stands in the dusty schoolyard, its branches reaching toward the sky. Beneath these branches, a small group huddles, their voices mingling in the wind. It is a group of mothers, and these Sierra Leonean women have gathered to discuss their lives in the face of the disaster of post-reforms. conflict.ii “They call our children rebellious children,” the women say. “[They tell me] You and your child eat all our food. . . but sometimes I go to bed for two days without eating. »iii Their lives are hard, but their sense of community is strong thanks to women's groups like this, a common scene in Sierra Leone. In neighboring Liberia, women have also learned to foster a sense of community and cohesion through the Liberian Women's Mass Action for Peace. As a male member of the Justice and Peace Commission in Sierra Leone explains: “Women build peace among themselves. They serve as mediators and resolve disputes at the community level. Most men resolve conflicts at the next level. »iv In a world where patriarchal conflicts are so pervasive, peacebuilding processes need women to take action and be empowered in the community if positive change is to occur for all citizens. Specifically defining positive change in any position -A conflict environment is not an easy task, but peace is always the desired end result. However, men and women in the same community often define peace differently. Men tend to take a more structured view of peace and focus on the absence of formal conflict. Women, on the other hand, define peace broadly and deeply, applying it to all levels and stages of society, not just infrastructure and the armed forces. “Peace means different things to women and men because of their unique experiences resulting from...... middle of article......http://www.un.org/africarenewal/ magazine/january-2010 /security-reform-key-protection-women> Hayner, Priscilla. “Negotiating peace in Liberia: preserving the possibility of justice”. Center for Humanitarian Dialogue. International Center for Transitional Justice, November 2007. Web. 22Dec. 2013.%20Peace%20in%20Liberia.pdf?1>. Pray to the devil to return to hell. Real. Gini Reticker. Perf. Leymah Gbowee, Asatu Bah Kenneth. Independent, 2008. Web. PBS. Public broadcasting service. Internet. December 19, 2013..Swiss, Shana MD, et al. “Violence against women during the Liberian civil conflict. » Journal of the American Medical Association 279 (1998): 625-29. Women's Rights International.2012. Internet. January 10. 2014. .