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Women

Women

In times of displacement, women and girls face an increased risk of discrimination and gender-based violence.

UNHCR works to prevent this by ensuring fair aid distribution, access to safe shelters and facilities, and helping women overcome barriers to education and employment.
Democratic Republic of Congo / Burundian refugees
In some societies, women and girls face discrimination and violence every day, simply because of their gender. An ordinary task like collecting water or going to the toilet can put them at risk of rape or abuse.

In times of displacement, this problem escalates. Women and girls make up around 50 per cent of any refugee, internally displaced or stateless population, and those who are unaccompanied, pregnant, heads of households, disabled or elderly are especially vulnerable.

At UNHCR, we work hard to ease their struggle, ensuring safe shelters that offer privacy, assistance with construction or maintenance, fair food distribution systems and separate sanitation facilities. We also manage programmes that help women to improve their leadership skills, overcome barriers to education, and access opportunities.

Our work builds upon women’s own resilience and strength, and helps them to improve their lives, as well as those of their children, families and communities, every single day.

Who we work with

UNHCR is just one of many organizations working around the world to help displaced women and girls.

We take part in a number of inter-agency fora that address gender issues and sexual violence, such as the UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s Sub-Working Group on Gender. The UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, gathering UNHCR and other UN agencies, was set up to highlight and create awareness of abuses against women and, ultimately, to end sexual violence and make the world safer for women and girls.

Bridging the gender digital gap

International Women's Day 2023 – UNHCR Innovation Service

'Network Guardians’ help to bridge gender digital gap in Ecuadorian neighbourhood

Further resources

Cover photo: Gender equality promising and emerging practices: From inspiration to implementation
Cover photo: Afghanistan refugees at a World Refugee Day 2023 event at a UNHCR community center in Damascus, Syria.
© UNHCR/Ola Kabalan
Malian refugee women carrying their belongings through Mbera refugee camp in Mali. UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency, Sexual and Gender-based Violence SGBV GBV

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a violation of human rights. It denies a person dignity and hurts human development.