Protecting Women and Girls in Conflict Zones

Protecting Women and Girls in Conflict Zones

Conflict dramatically increases risks to women and girls. Understanding these risks and available protections can help women, families, and communities take steps to reduce vulnerability.

Specific Risks Facing Women and Girls in Conflict

Gender-Based Violence (GBV):
– Sexual violence used as a weapon of war
– Increased domestic violence in displacement settings
– Risk of sexual exploitation by armed groups and, rarely, aid workers
– Forced marriage, including to combatants
– Trafficking for sexual exploitation

Other Specific Risks:
– Loss of male family protectors increases vulnerability
– Widows face particular social and economic vulnerability
– Adolescent girls face early marriage as coping mechanism
– Girls may be recruited as fighters or domestic servants by armed groups
– Women-headed households face higher poverty and food insecurity

Protective Strategies

Safety in Numbers:
– Never travel alone, especially women traveling without male companions
– Move in groups of trusted women
– Coordinate with neighbors for shared protection
– Establish community alert systems

Avoiding High-Risk Situations:
– Limit movement after dark
– Know which checkpoints and routes are safest
– Avoid isolated areas, especially near military positions
– Be cautious of offers of help from unknown individuals or armed men

Home Safety:
– Reinforce entry points on shelter
– Establish signals with neighbors for emergencies
– Know escape routes from your shelter
– Keep whistles or noise-makers for alerting neighbors

Community Protection Networks:
– Organize women’s safety groups in displacement settings
– Establish community watch systems
– Share information about risks and incidents (safely)
– Collective action deters individual targeting

If GBV Occurs

Immediate Response:
– Move to safety first
– Seek medical attention as soon as possible (within 72 hours for effective prevention of some consequences)
– Do not bathe before medical examination if you choose to report
– Tell a trusted person

Accessing Support:
– UNFPA (UN Population Fund) – GBV services
– IRC (International Rescue Committee) – women’s protection programs
– MSF/Doctors Without Borders – medical care including sexual violence care
– UNHCR protection officers
– Many camps have Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS)

Confidentiality:
– All GBV services are confidential
– You are not required to report to police to access services
– Medical care is available regardless of whether you report to authorities

Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS)

– Dedicated spaces where women and girls can access services safely
– Often provide psychosocial support, health services, legal information
– Run by NGOs in many displacement and conflict settings
– Ask at UNHCR or camp management about availability

Economic Protection

– Access to cash and income increases protection
– Financial dependence increases vulnerability
– Women-focused livelihood programs exist in many displacement settings
– Control of own resources reduces dependence on exploitative relationships

Key Takeaways
– Women and girls face specific and elevated risks in conflict zones
– Safety in numbers is the most basic protective strategy
– Women and Girls Safe Spaces provide dedicated protection and services
– GBV services are confidential and do not require police reporting
– Medical care after sexual violence should be accessed within 72 hours
– Community women’s networks provide significant collective protection
– Economic independence reduces vulnerability to exploitation

Image Reference: eduflo-war-survival-women-protection.png