One in five refugee or internally displaced women have faced sexual violence, United Nations refugee chief Filippo Grandi said on Thursday - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
"Today, given the prolonged human rights and socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know this situation has only worsened," Grandi said in a statement.
"From Afghanistan, Colombia, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and beyond, the deleterious impact of conflict, COVID-19 and displacement has been felt acutely by women and girls."
There has been a global surge in domestic violence, child marriages, trafficking, sexual exploitation and abuse since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, Grandi said.
"Some hard-won gains in advancing gender equality have also been eroded," he stated.
Addressing gender-based violence requires a concerted response involving national authorities, humanitarian partners, civil society, donors and forcibly displaced women, girls, men and boys themselves, Grandi said.
"We call on national and local authorities to do more to protect the rights of refugees, internally displaced and stateless women and girls and prevent these egregious violations," said Grandi.
Grandi called for more funding for programmes that combat gender-based violence - including women and girls' empowerment projects as well as response services for survivors.
