Understanding the unique toll on women and girls
When conflicts intensify, the consequences are felt across entire communities, but women and girls often bear a disproportionate share of the burden. Legal, economic, and cultural discrimination that already limits their freedoms can be magnified in times of crisis. This means higher risks of violence, greater barriers to essential services, and longer paths to recovery. Acknowledging these unequal impacts is the first step toward building protection, accountability, and lasting solutions.
Safety and exposure to violence
Escalating conflict increases the likelihood of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, forced marriage, and exploitation. Disrupted policing, overcrowded shelters, and unstable family structures can create environments where women and girls are more vulnerable. In many settings, survivors face stigma, lack of trust in authorities, and barriers to reporting abuse. International and local organizations emphasize survivor-centered approaches that ensure confidentiality, comprehensive medical care, and psychological support.
Health, nutrition, and reproductive rights
Conflicts disrupt health systems, leaving women and girls without access to maternal health, contraception, and essential nutrition. Pregnant women face heightened risk if medical amenities are damaged or inaccessible. Adolescents may experience forced disengagement from education or early marriage as families struggle to cope with scarce resources. Protecting reproductive rights and ensuring continuity of care becomes a critical component of humanitarian response.
Economic vulnerability and displacement
Economic shocks hit households hard, and women often carry disproportionate responsibility for caregiving and informal work. When families are displaced, women may lose livelihoods, savings, and social protections. This undermines not only personal security but also community resilience. Targeted support—such as cash assistance, access to markets, and vocational training—can help keep women economically afloat and better able to support dependents.
Education and long-term outcomes
Displaced girls frequently face interruptions to schooling, putting them at greater risk of early marriage and child labor. Schools can serve as safe spaces, yet when facilities are damaged or unsafe, girls lose critical opportunities for learning and empowerment. Ensuring safe, inclusive education during emergencies supports not only individual futures but also the social and economic recovery of entire regions.
Protection, accountability, and solutions
Effective protection requires a coordinated approach that centers women and girls in planning and decision-making. This includes robust legal frameworks, accessible reporting mechanisms, and accountability for abuses. Community-led initiatives, women’s organizations, and youth groups play a pivotal role in monitoring threats, delivering essential services, and advocating for durable solutions.
What communities can do now
– Prioritize survivor-centered services that protect confidentiality and dignity.
– Maintain uninterrupted access to reproductive health and essential medicines.
– Integrate gender analyses into all crisis responses to identify gaps and risks for women and girls.
– Invest in female leadership, education, and economic opportunities as a foundation for resilience.
Conclusion
Escalating conflict reshapes risks for women and girls, but it also highlights the critical role of protection, equity, and sustainable support. By centering gender in crisis response, communities can reduce harm, preserve dignity, and lay the groundwork for a more resilient future where women and girls not only survive crises but lead recovery and renewal.
