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Refugee Women

In any refugee population, approximately 50 percent of the uprooted people are women and girls. Stripped of the protection of their homes, their government and often their family structure, females are often particularly vulnerable. They face the rigours of long journeys into exile, official harassment or indifference and frequent sexual abuse even after reaching an apparent place of safety. Women must cope with these threats while being nurse, teacher, breadwinner and physical protector of their families. In the last few years, UNHCR has developed a series of special programmes to ensure women have equal access to protection, basic goods and services as they attempt to rebuild their lives.

Read more on the public web site www.unhcr.org

Photo Gallery Special – Refugee Women

Photo Gallery Special – Refugee Women

A pictorial gallery honouring refugee women and some of the many roles they play around the world in the most difficult of circumstances.


UNHCR Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls

UNHCR Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls

(www.unhcr.org/protect)

This Handbook describes some of the protection challenges faced by women and girls of concern to UNHCR and outlines various strategies to be adopted with partners to tackle these challenges.
First edition, published January 2008


Sexual and Gender based violence

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons

(pdf)

Guidelines offering practical advice on how to design strategies and carry out activities aimed at preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence.


Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation

Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation. An Interagency Statement

(www.refworld.org)
Publication date: February 2008

This Statement is a call to all States, international and national organizations, civil society and communities to uphold the rights of girls and women. It also calls on those bodies and communities to develop, strengthen, and support specific and concrete actions directed towards ending female genital mutilation.



Search UNHCR Online

UNHCR Policy on Refugee Women

(pdf)


UNHCR Good Practices

(pdf)

"A Practical Guide to Empowerment" – UNHCR series produced by the Refugee Women/Gender Equality Unit to demonstrate and disseminate successful gender mainstreaming practices. Published 2001.

UNIFEM

www.unifem.org

United Nations Development Fund for Women: Working for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality.

www.unifem.se (swe)


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