Protection of Refugee Women and Girls from Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Under International Law

The advent of climate change era has been affirmed by various global processes including 21 May 2019 recognition by the Anthropocene Working Group of ‘human impact’ in bringing profound alterations on planet earth. It has emerged as the predominant ‘world problematique’. Though entire populations are affected by climate change, women and girls suffer the most. Due to their traditional roles, women are heavily dependent on natural resources. As already seen, as a consequence of natural disasters and during Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21, women have faced heightened real-life challenges specially being vulnerable to different forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). They suffer from a lack of protection, privacy, and mental trauma. Women are exposed to SGBV due to weak or absence of social, economic, political security and the culture of widespread impunity to the perpetrators. There is double victimization of women both as human beings and because of their gender. Effect of SGBV is highly injurious and perpetual. A close study of four main areas of international law does not yield any international legal instrument that deals with SGBV against women during and after the climate change induced disasters. This is more ominous when growing evidence suggests role of climate change in exacerbation of SGBV against women and girls. Even texts of the three specific climate change treaties (1992 UNFCCC, 1997 Kyoto Protocol and 2005 Paris Agreement) do not address this issue. It has been given attention only through the decisions of the Conference of the Parties in recent years. Due to serious psychological and bodily harm SGBV causes to women, it needs to be explicitly factored in respective international legal instruments on climate change and disasters. Amidst ignorance, denials and lack of adequate attention as regards impact of climate change in exacerbating SGBV against women and girls from the scholars and decision-makers in the field, this study makes a modest effort to deduce and analyze –from scattered initiatives, scholarly literature in different areas, existing international legal instruments and intergovernmental processes –the growing causal relationship between climate change and SGBV against women and girls so as to suggest a way out for our better common future. It is a new challenge to international law that needs to be duly addressed in a timely manner.

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Continuum of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Risks among Syrian Refugee Women and Girls in Lebanon

10.21203/rs.2.12094/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sophie Roupetz ◽

Garbern Stephanie ◽

Michael Saja ◽

Bergquist Harveen ◽

Glaesmer Heide ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Community ◽

First Person ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Refugee Women ◽

Syrian Refugee ◽

Wide Range ◽

Women And Girls ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background: A myriad of factors including socio-economic hardships impact refugees, with females being additionally exposed to various forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The aim of this qualitative analysis was to provide new insight into the experiences of SGBV among Syrian refugee women and girls in Lebanon. Methods: The data are gained from a larger mixed-methods study, investigating the experiences of Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon, using an iPad and the data collection tool, SenseMaker ®. The survey intentionally did not ask direct questions about experiences of SGBV but instead enabled stories about SGBV to become apparent from a wide range of experiences in the daily lives of Syrian girls. F or this analysis, first-person stories by female respondents about experiences of SGBV were included in a thematic analysis. A random selection of male respondents who provided stories about the experiences of Syrian girls in Lebanon was also analyzed. Results: In total, 70 of the 327 first person stories from female respondents and 42 of the 159 stories shared by male respondents included dialogue on SGBV. While experiences of sexual harassment were mainly reported by females, male respondents were much more likely to talk explicitly about sexual exploitation. Due to different forms of SGBV risks in public, unmarried girls were at high risk of child marriage, whereas married girls more often experienced some form of IPV and/or DV. In abusive relationships, some girls continued to face violence as they sought divorces and attempted to flee unhealthy situations. Conclusions: This study contributes to existing literature by examining SGBV risks and experiences for refugees integrated into their host community, and also by incorporating the perceptions of men. Our findings shed light on the importance of recognizing the impact of SGBV on the family as a whole, in addition to each of the individual members and supports considering the cycle of SGBV not only across the woman ’ s lifespan but also across generations . Gendered differences in how SGBV was discussed may have implications for the design of future research focused on SGBV.

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Continuum of sexual and gender-based violence risks among Syrian refugee women and girls in Lebanon

BMC Women s Health ◽

10.1186/s12905-020-01009-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sophie Roupetz ◽

Stephanie Garbern ◽

Saja Michael ◽

Harveen Bergquist ◽

Heide Glaesmer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gender Based Violence ◽

Refugee Women ◽

Syrian Refugee ◽

Women And Girls ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender

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Continuum of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence risks among Syrian Refugee Women and Girls in Lebanon

10.21203/rs.2.12094/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Sophie Roupetz ◽

Garbern Stephanie ◽

Michael Saja ◽

Bergquist Harveen ◽

Glaesmer Heide ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexual Exploitation ◽

First Person ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Refugee Women ◽

Syrian Refugee ◽

Wide Range ◽

Women And Girls ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background: A myriad of factors including socio-economic hardships impact refugees, with females being additionally exposed to various forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). For instance, sexual exploitation and forced prostitution can become negative coping mechanisms through which some women and girls raise funds to cover their families’ living expenses. The aim of this qualitative analysis was to understand and to provide new insight into the experiences of SGBV among Syrian refugee women and girls in Lebanon. Methods: The data are gained from a larger mixed-methods study, investigating the experiences of Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon, using an iPad and the data collection tool, SenseMaker®. The SenseMaker survey intentionally did not ask direct questions about experiences of SGBV but instead enabled stories about SGBV to become apparent from a wide range of subjects of the daily lives of Syrian girls. For this analysis, all first-person stories by female respondents were screened and those about experiences of SGBV were included in a thematic analysis. To present men’s perceptions on these experiences, a random selection of stories about Syrian girls in Lebanon from male respondents was analyzed. Results: In total, 70 of the 327 first person stories from female respondents and 42 of the 159 male stories, included dialogue on SGBV. While experiences of sexual harassment were mainly reported by women and girls, male respondents were much more likely to talk explicitly about sexual exploitation. Due to different forms of SGBV risks in public, unmarried girls were at high risk of child marriage, whereas married girls more often experienced some form of IPV and/or DV. In abusive relationships, some girls and women continued to face violence as they sought divorces and attempted to flee unhealthy situations. Conclusions: Our findings shed light on the importance of recognizing the impact of SGBV on the family as a whole in addition to each of the individual members and to consider the cycle of SGBV not only across the woman’s lifespan but also across generations. The identified gendered differences in how SGBV was discussed may have implications for the design of future research focused on SGBV.

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Continuum of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Risks among Syrian Refugee Women and Girls in Lebanon

10.21203/rs.2.12094/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sophie Roupetz ◽

Stephanie Garbern ◽

Saja Michael ◽

Harveen Bergquist ◽

Heide Glaesmer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Community ◽

First Person ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Refugee Women ◽

Syrian Refugee ◽

Wide Range ◽

Women And Girls ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background: A myriad of factors including socio-economic hardships impact refugees, with females being additionally exposed to various forms of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The aim of this qualitative analysis was to understand and to provide new insight into the experiences of SGBV among Syrian refugee women and girls in Lebanon. Methods: The data are gained from a larger mixed-methods study, investigating the experiences of Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon, using an iPad and the data collection tool, SenseMaker®. The SenseMaker survey intentionally did not ask direct questions about experiences of SGBV but instead enabled stories about SGBV to become apparent from a wide range of experiences in the daily lives of Syrian girls. For this analysis, all first-person stories by female respondents about experiences of SGBV were included in a thematic analysis as well as a random selection of male respondents who provided stories about the experiences of Syrian girls in Lebanon. Results: In total, 70 of the 327 first person stories from female respondents and 42 of the 159 stories shared by male respondents included dialogue on SGBV. While experiences of sexual harassment were mainly reported by women and girls, male respondents were much more likely to talk explicitly about sexual exploitation. Due to different forms of SGBV risks in public, unmarried girls were at high risk of child marriage, whereas married girls more often experienced some form of IPV and/or DV. In abusive relationships, some girls and women continued to face violence as they sought divorces and attempted to flee unhealthy situations. Conclusions: This study contributes to existing literature by examining SGBV risks and experiences for refugees integrated into their host community, and also by incorporating the perceptions of men. Our findings shed light on the importance of recognizing the impact of SGBV on the family as a whole, in addition to each of the individual members and supports considering the cycle of SGBV not only across the woman’s lifespan but also across generations. Gendered differences in how SGBV was discussed may have implications for the design of future research focused on SGBV.

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Gendered dimensions of health in refugee situations: An examination of sexual and gender-based violence faced by refugee women in Nakivale refugee settlement, Uganda

International Social Work ◽

10.1177/00208728211003973 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002087282110039

Author(s):

Hadijah Mwenyango

Keyword(s):

Social Identity ◽

Qualitative Methods ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Frontline Workers ◽

Refugee Women ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender ◽

Quantitative And Qualitative Methods

This article analyses the interplay between women’s social identity, migration and manifestation of sexual and gender-based violence. The research used mixed quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings show experiences of domestic, sexual, community and survival violence. Their predicaments are exacerbated by socio-cultural and structural influences, and despite commitments for protecting refugees, more has to be done to meet the needs of victims. The article reveals the urgency for the adoption of gender-responsive and rights-based approaches in refugee interventions. The capacity of frontline workers must be enhanced to detect violence, appreciate the needs and rights of victims and provide appropriate support.

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A Feminist Future for the Pacific

The Humanitarian Leader ◽

10.21153/thl2020volno0art1018 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Emma Cliffe

Keyword(s):

Sexual And Gender Minorities ◽

Gender Based Violence ◽

Left Behind ◽

Gender Minorities ◽

The Pacific ◽

Marginalised Groups ◽

Essential Services ◽

Women And Girls ◽

Gender Based ◽

And Gender

The COVID–19 pandemic continues to devastate the lives and wellbeing of millions of people around the world; women and girls, people with disabilities, youth, older people, and sexual and gender minorities are most at risk of ‘being left behind’. While confirmed cases of COVID–19 are low in the Pacific compared with other regions, the threat of the virus remains and the wider social and economic impacts are already evident. Pacific Island countries grappling with pervasive inequality, sustainable development challenges and climate change now must consider their response to the COVID–19 pandemic. This paper envisions an inclusive and transformative feminist response focused on four key outcomes: preserving access to healthcare and essential services; promoting women’s economic empowerment; protecting women and girls from gender–based violence; and supporting vulnerable and marginalised groups to express their voice and claim their rights amid the pandemic.

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