protection of women and children in armed conflict

Women and girls may experience severe physical injuries, unwanted pregnancies and exposure to HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. Survivors of gender-based violence suffer devastating short- and long-term consequences to their physical and mental health. And in some places, they are married off early or forcefully, to protect or care for their families. All the while, girls and women may be forced to trade sex for food, money and other resources they need to survive. Many armed groups also use sexual violence as a tool of warfare to advance military or political aims. But in crisis settings, threats soar.Īrmed conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies can significantly weaken a society’s ability to protect women and girls from gender-based violence. Rates of intimate partner violence often increase in crisis settings.

Gender-based violence can occur at any point in a person’s life, in times of peace or instability. Girls and women may also experience gender-based violence when they are deprived of nutrition and education. Gender-based violence takes numerous forms: Intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation, trafficking for sexual exploitation, female infanticide, and ‘honour’ crimes are common – with intimate partner violence occurring at staggering rates in every country.

Across the globe, women and girls – especially adolescents – face the greatest risk. Social norms that condone men’s use of violence as a form of discipline and control reinforce gender inequality and perpetuate gender-based violence. In all societies, women and girls have less power than men – over their bodies, decisions and resources. It also includes the threat of violence, coercion and deprivation of liberty, whether in public or private. It includes physical, sexual, mental or economic harm inflicted on a person because of socially ascribed power imbalances between males and females.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is the most pervasive yet least visible human rights violation in the world.

Protection of women and children in armed conflict