not only were there recorded cases of willing female combatants coulter but women were also active in other arenas as well many became primary breadwinners as men were involved in the war effort and they were also instrumental in organising for an end to the conflict although at first women were not part of any of the formal dialogue concerning peace and were excluded from the main peace negotiations of abidjan in and conakry in at least two female representatives were included in the peace talks held in lome in and the resulting peace agreement mentions the importance of paying attention to women s special needs in the postconflict context ogunsanya barnes