LIFESTYLE
Why women are disproportionately affected by humanitarian crises? cope with dire consequences such as stigma, trauma, unwanted pregnancies etc. Estimates show that about 20% of women refugees in conflict-ridden areas have experienced at least one form of sexual violence. Even the experts agree that this estimate is very kind. Prone to natural disasters Even when a humanitarian crisis does not involve conflict, the female gender is still the worst hit. A 2007 study published in the Annals of the Association of American Geographers revealed that natural disasters have a greater effect on the life expectancy of women than men.This conclusion was drawn after a thorough examination of data A lot has been achieved in the fight for
April 2014 and the disproportionate killing
from 141 countries, over a 21-year period.
gender equality. Even in the developing
of schoolgirls during the Afghan war are
Another report from Oxfam revealed that the
world, policymakers and other stakeholders
examples that highlight the vulnerability of
2004 Tsunami claimed the lives of four times
appear to be more conscious of the rights of
school-going girls. In a bid to protect their
as many women than men in India, Sri Lanka,
the female gender. However, there is still a
children, parents often stop them from going
and Indonesia. This is largely due to the fact
chasm between both genders and this gap
to school and this could have a lasting
that the women were unable to swim their
is best observed in regions that are hit by a
negative impact on their educational
way out of the turbulence or climb trees. Ma-
humanitarian crisis The United Nations in its
pursuits. The United Nations reports that
jority of them were also at home on the day
2019 Global Humanitarian Overview affirms
‘girls in conflict settings are 2.5 times more
of the Tsunami. In its 2018 Gender Gap Re-
that ‘conflicts and disasters exacerbate
likely to be out of school than boys.’ Many of
port, the World Economic Forum affirms that
gender
against
these girls may never return to school and
‘gender parity is fundamental to whether and
women and girls.’ On the average, the death
even if they do, they may never recover from
how economies and societies thrive.’ Accord-
toll of women is higher than men whenever
the damage done by the prolonged absence
ing to the report, there remains a 32% av-
there is a humanitarian crisis.
from school.
erage gender gap that needs to be covered.
inequalities,
particularly
This statistic represents an improvement A drop in school attendance
A product of lawlessness
from the previous year but it also tells us that
Young girls are more vulnerable in
All over the world, sexual violence is one
a lot of work still needs to be done before
of
of the leading crimes against humanity in
gender equality can be achieved. If you are
more than 200 girls in a Nigerian school in
war-ridden areas. and it comes in different
still in doubt, you should take a closer look at
forms. Sexual violence comes in different
the regions hit by humanitarian crises.
conflict-ridden
areas.
The
abduction
forms; forced marriage, rape, sexual slavery, etc and is perpetrated against all genders. In basic terms, it is a direct result of the collapse of rule of law. However, the female gender is undoubtedly the worst hit by sexual violence. Economically and politically marginalized women are often subjected to unspoken degrees of abuse, leaving them to
Photographer Natalia Kovachevski Trend Privé Magazine
