Campaign for Refugee Girls
From Sierra Leone to Afghanistan to the West Bank, refugee girls are among the most at risk of all uprooted people. They are subjected to abduction and rape, forced marriage and slavery, trafficking and exploitation. Because they are female, they are less likely to learn to read and write or have opportunities for formal education. Also, because they are female, they are often considered the property of their families, with little or no say in decisions regarding marriage, employment or other life choices.
The Women’s Commission has launched a “Campaign for Refugee Girls,” to document the rights abuses they face, propose policy and program changes to address the abuses and work toward the adoption of these reforms. This effort would include partnerships with other NGOs and experts, ensuring a network that would multiply the chances for reforms. The campaign would stress the importance of educating refugee communities, particularly boys and men, regarding equal rights for women and girls.
- Document abuses, drawing from earlier Women’s Commission work, including reproductive health findings, participation and protection reports, children and adolescent studies and asylum and detention reports
- Release a book on refugee girls, including a series of recommendations for governments, the United Nations and its agencies, nongovernmental organizations, refugee groups and others.
- Advocate for reforms that will bring about improved protection for refugee girls around the world. This may include increased funding for programs that address reproductive rights, education and skills training, empowerment and participation for refugee girls.
- Review progress, to determine which reforms were accepted and adopted and whether these made an impact in the lives of refugee girls.