Sexual and reproductive health

While gender inequality affects many health conditions and outcomes, nowhere is it more pronounced than in matters of sexuality and reproduction. Issues in sexual and reproductive health have arisen in global areas as a result of migration and displacement; for example, female genital mutilation has become a topical issue in various European countries. Unregistered migrants who do not have access to, or are not informed about the availability of, reproductive health services, including antenatal care, may receive late diagnoses, resulting in potentially life-threatening conditions for women and their babies.

Gender-based violence

Gender-based violence encompasses any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and that is based on socially ascribed (i.e. gender) roles and power differences between males and females. While men may experience gender-based violence, in general women experience more sexual violence, more severe physical violence and more control from male partners. Gender-based violence against women is a life-threatening global health and human rights issue. During humanitarian emergencies, the risk of gender-based violence increases due to mass displacement and the breakdown of social protections. Globally, 35% of women will face sexual or intimate partner violence in their lifetime and as many as one in five refugees or displaced women experience sexual violence. Smugglers often target women and girls travelling alone, attempting to coerce those with limited financial resources into exchanging sex for transport. Women and children who enter into pay-as-you-go schemes with smugglers are often left in debt, and as such are more vulnerable to abuse and trafficking. Once in countries of first asylum, women and children can experience a lack of protection and security due to the social structure of predominantly male-led camps. Female refugees may be forced to sleep alongside male refugees, even if they are travelling alone, and camps often lack single-sex, well-lit toilet facilities. Refugee girls face the additional risk of early and forced marriage, often because their families cannot support them. There is evidence from some countries that the pandemic has exacerbated the problem of violence against women.

Guidance, training, reports