The UNHCR raises alarms for the over 60 million displaced women and girls worldwide as a result of the increasing risks of gender-based violence (GBV), while at the same time showing critical underfunding in vital support services.
Reports indicate that there was an increase of 50% in cases of conflict-related sexual violence from the previous year, with women and girls making up 95% of all verified cases.
However, the UNHCR emphasized that such a statistic was merely the tip of the iceberg because many cases, that were never reported, were attributable to stigma and fear of retaliation.
In many remote, conflict-affected areas, humanitarian access remains limited, and survivors of GBV face numerous challenges to justice, many of which are attributed to social marginalization.
Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson for the UNHCR, said that displaced women report sexual violence, rape, and torture and that increasingly, women’s bodies are becoming instruments of war in places like DRC and Chad.
Afghanistan has suffered increasing violence against women, harsh limitations, and a severe economic crisis, all resulting in the worst possible mental health crisis with many now seeking help.
Refugee women traveling on routes toward the Mediterranean face rampant sexual violence and human trafficking, with studies showing that 90% of them have been sexually assaulted.
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Domestic Violence
According to the UNHCR, displaced women and girls are also much more vulnerable to intimate partner violence, with risk 20 percent higher than nondisplaced women.
Additional risks arise from types of discrimination that intersect, especially for women with disabilities or from underrepresented populations.
Funding for urgent GBV prevention and response services is woefully inadequate.
NGOs such as UNHCR have only managed to procure 28% of the funding that has been necessitated for GBV initiatives across key refugee response plans such as DRC, Afghanistan, and Syria.
As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which runs from November 25 to December 10, UNHCR calls for more attention and support in alleviating suffering further cost to displaced women and girls.
Without sufficient funding, millions may continue to face severe risks and remain unable to access essential services in the coming year.