How war impacts women and girls: A simple explainer on gender and conflict

Summary

War is becoming more dangerous for women and girls. Around the world, conflicts are becoming longer, more brutal, and increasingly fought in cities and communities rather than distant battlefields. Homes, schools, hospitals, and shelters are being destroyed, and civilians are paying the price. Today the world is experiencing the highest number of active conflicts since 1946. Last year, a UN report warned that 676 million women live within 50 kilometers of deadly conflict. That’s roughly the distance between New York City and Newark, New Jersey in the United States of America, or the daily commuting distance for millions from Delhi to Gurgaon in India. Imagine fleeing your home overnight as bombs and missiles fall, and basic services – like water or electricity – collapse around you. Since that report, even more conflicts have erupted. Bombs do not discriminate between men and women, but the consequences of war do. This explainer examines why modern wars are becoming deadlier for women and girls, and how conflict deepens existing inequalities.

Keywords

war, women, girls, gender, conflict, UN Women