The Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Girls - UNFPA

Effects <strong>of</strong> war on adolescents
Even in ideal, peaceful settings, adolescence is a challenging time <strong>of</strong> life.
When conflict erupts, the risks associated with adolescence increase for boys,
but multiply for girls. Trauma and lack <strong>of</strong> social support and services are
especially harmful to young people and may have lasting effects on their physical
and mental health. When social structures break down in the face <strong>of</strong> war and
instability, young adults frequently engage in high-risk drug use or sexual
behavior.
<strong>The</strong> presence <strong>of</strong> peacekeeping organizations in post-conflict settings
sometimes has negative ramifications on public health, again with severe
repercussions for women and girls. Personnel and military forces used for
peacekeeping missions are predominantly adult men from differing cultures,
health and education statuses and, subsequently, expectations for conduct.
Increased demand for the commercial sex trade has serious ramifications for the
entire community, particularly through the presence <strong>of</strong> sexual, physical and
economic exploitation.
Despite the perverse hardships facing women in conflict settings, it is
important to underscore that positive outcomes for women do exist. A central
point <strong>of</strong> reference is that women have organized themselves in numerous
locations to respond to conflict at the grass-roots level, particularly attending to
empowerment <strong>of</strong> women and girls. <strong>The</strong>re are many ways to reap the benefits <strong>of</strong>
women’s leadership and to establish them as agents <strong>of</strong> change in post-conflict
redevelopment efforts. Pursuing the most comprehensive reproductive health
services in emergencies and clarifying the extent to which those services can be
made sustainable are a notable concern for the entire United Nations system,
including UNFPA.
Agenda Items
Four areas were highlighted to address the impact <strong>of</strong> conflict on women
and girls:
• <strong>The</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> conflict on reproductive health. <strong>Conflict</strong>s expose women to
increased vulnerability on range <strong>of</strong> health threats. Social, cultural and
economic disempowerment is compounded by poverty, and their combination
produces a context in which women are susceptible to sexual exploitation and
drug abuse. Items addressed include the availability <strong>of</strong> and access to
preventive health services, information and treatment, and involve processes
<strong>of</strong> empowerment, gender relations and the impact <strong>of</strong> HIV/AIDS;
• Gender-based violence and its sexual dimensions, including trafficking.
More information is needed on gender-based violence. Collection <strong>of</strong> this
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