Vulnerability of women refugees

Exploitation of women refugees

Nature

Women refugees are often the least well equipped to cope with their difficult circumstances and, as about 30% of the female population in the refugee camps is of childbearing age, pregnancy can add intolerably to their other anxieties. These women have little or no access to family planning services or contraception and there is a high percentage of unwanted pregnancies and births, thus increasing the number of refugee children. Violations of their security, one of the most serious problems affecting refugee women, have included rape, physical violence, sexual abuse or harassment and prostitution. Single women and women heads of families are more liable to such violence. Lack of sanitation and privacy is another aspect of the specific hardships refugee women have to endure. In cities, most refugee women need to supplement the family income, particularly women who are heads of households (that is, who earn 50% or over of the total earnings). In many cities, opportunities for these women are extremely limited.

Background

The heightened vulnerability of women refugees garnered international attention in the late 20th century, as conflicts and crises exposed their disproportionate risks of exploitation and violence during displacement. Landmark UNHCR reports and the 1995 Beijing Declaration emphasized the need for gender-sensitive responses. Since then, global monitoring and advocacy have increasingly focused on documenting abuse patterns and promoting protection frameworks, underscoring the persistent, cross-regional nature of threats to women refugees. Sources: - https://www.unhcr.org/publications/manuals/3c4c67c44/sexual-gender-based-violence-against-refugees-returnees-internally-displaced.html - https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/women-refugees-and-migrants

Incidence

Women refugees globally experience disproportionate levels of vulnerability, manifesting in heightened risks of gender-based violence, exploitation, and inadequate access to essential services such as healthcare and legal protection. According to UNHCR, an estimated 50 million women and girls were forcibly displaced in 2023, with many residing in unstable camps or urban centers lacking security and resources. The compounded vulnerabilities faced by these women underscore the widespread and persistent nature of this crisis.
In 2022, in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, reports documented increased instances of violence, trafficking, and restricted movement among Rohingya women refugees, exacerbated by overcrowded conditions and limited humanitarian support (https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2022/06/rohingya-women-refugees-survivors-and-leaders).