Why women in conflict
When war and insecurity take hold, women bear the heaviest burden of violence, poverty and inequality.
Why women in conflict
WOMEN, WAR AND CONFLICT
WHEN WOMEN ARE CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
Women affected by war and conflict are forced to overcome the most daunting challenges. In addition to being displaced from their homes and losing loved ones and livelihoods, women are also uniquely vulnerable to harmful gender norms which:
- Restrict women’s access to education and economic resources
- Exclude them from decision-making and peace-building
- Expose them to many forms of violence and abuse, making them the targets of systematic rape and sexual violence which is used as a weapon to terrorise and destroy communities.
Despite these stark disadvantages, women are instrumental in caring and providing for their families at times of crisis, often stepping outside traditional domestic roles in order to survive. Many become sole breadwinners after the loss of husbands and male relatives, and are struggling against the odds to both care and provide for their families.
Women for Women International targets the most marginalised women who live in extreme poverty, are directly affected by violence and conflict, and endure myriad forms of social and economic disadvantage. More than half of the women in our programmes are illiterate. All earn less than $1.25 a day. Many are widows, refugees, or survivors of rape and abuse.
15% of all women in the world live within 50 kilometres of a conflict zone (that is 600 million women)
50% increase in cases of conflict-related sexual violence from 2022 to 2023
26% of peace and ceasefire agreements mention women and none include women's groups as signatories
women, war and displacement
when women are uprooted
While conflict affects everyone, the experiences of women during displacement are distinct and often more severe due to gender-specific vulnerabilities and societal roles. From increased levels of sexual violence to deepened social and economic barriers, learn more about what women face as war ravages their communities.
Violence Against Women
THE MOST SILENCED CRIME
Wherever conflict erupts, sexual violence is present. It is war’s oldest, most silenced, and least-condemned crime, and no statistics or figures will ever depict its true scale. Most of the women we serve have experienced sexual violence in some form, which is employed as both a deliberate and strategic tactic to instill fear and control and displace communities already under distress. Learn more about the impact of violence against women.
women, conflict and education
WHEN ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGE IS BARRED
For so many of us, our time at school and university were some of the best years of our lives. But for countless women and girls living in conflict zones, these experiences were cut short – or denied entirely. Not only does conflict disrupt education, it also deepens existing gender inequalities. The gap between the literacy rates of men and women widens, leaving millions of women and girls without the skills necessary to rebuild their lives and communities after war.
health and healthcare in war
A CRISIS OF BASIC NEEDS
In times of war and conflict, women struggle to obtain adequate food, safe drinking water and basic sanitation and healthcare. They often lose access to contraception, hygienic period products, maternity care and protection from sexually transmitted infections – while facing an increased risk of sexual and intimate partner violence.
Women’s Economic Empowerment
WHEN WOMEN ARE LEFT BEHIND
Economic empowerment is critical for women to determine the course of their lives and reach their full potential. World Bank and OECD research have also repeatedly shown that women’s economic participation is a key component of achieving long-term development goals, including economic growth, poverty reduction, health and education.
Globally, there has been significant progress in reducing poverty in the past 15 years - but women in fragile and conflict-affected countries are being left behind.
The women we serve face multiple barriers, including discriminatory gender norms, lack of access to education, opportunities and resources and poor access to markets.
With access to income and economic security, women are more likely to invest in health, education, and nutrition for their children and families – the building blocks of thriving societies.
Read the story of these women entrepreneurs building brighter futures for their families.
Women as Peacebuilders
WHEN WOMEN LEAD, EVERYONE WINS
Women’s double burden as carer and provider – as well as their increased vulnerability to poverty – are barriers to women’s participation in peacebuilding.
Investing in women is increasingly recognised as having a positive impact on peacebuilding and conflict prevention – by promoting stronger and more resilient societies, and facilitating women’s participation in peace processes.
- The majority of peace agreements signed from 1990 to today included zero female signatories.
- Women’s direct participation in peace negotiations increases the sustainability and the quality of peace.
- The larger the gender gap, the more likely a country is to be involved in conflict.
- When women participate in peace processes, the resulting agreement is 35% more likely to last at least 15 years.
Read more about how graduates of our programme are taking the lead in building peace in their communities.