Refugees International: Issues: Women & Displacement

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Women & Displacement

LIberia 2004: A mother breastfeeds her child

Concerns

Women play a vital role in the alleviation of poverty, prevention of conflict and in sustaining peace and are also the majority of the displaced in conflict settings. Yet women, particularly displaced women, are largely excluded from decisions that ensure their very survival. Ensuring women’s rights to full participation in political, economic and social activities is essential, as is the inclusion of women in mechanisms which prevent conflict, stop war, and stabilize regions damaged by conflict.

Displaced women are often excluded from decision making processes because they have no time to participate. They are cooking, collecting firewood and water, and caring for their families in insecure environments. In the chaos of humanitarian emergencies, Refugees International ensures that the special needs of women and their children are not forgotten. In particular, sexual violence has been increasingly used as a weapon of war against women and girls, yet programs to support survivors are often lagging.

Refugees International also focuses on the intersection of peacekeeping and gender issues. With protection of civilians included in the mandates of peacekeeping missions, it is essential that peacekeepers understand the particular needs of displaced women. Therefore, RI advocates for greater integration of women into peacekeeping forces. To read more about RI's work on sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping missions, click here.

Publications

10/18/05 Must Boys Be Boys? Ending Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in UN Peacekeeping Missions

Accomplishments

Refugees International has sought to bring the voices of displaced women to policy makers in the United Nations and the United States. Here are a few of our accomplishments:

After RI called attention to the lack of health services for rape survivors in Chad and Darfur, international agencies provided more money and training for humanitarian organizations in the region to decrease this gap.
RI has successfully advocated to include women combatants in disarmament and demobilization processes in countries from Angola to Liberia.
RI and partner organizations successfully urged Congress to pass legislation that ensures that all US government money in relief settings can only go to organizations that have a code of conduct against sexual exploitation and abuse.

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Iraq 2003 Visual Mission: War Traumatized Woman

For that past month, this woman has been sick. She and her family arrived from Baghdad five days ago, and have been living in a public building.

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