Gender-based violence can occur at any point in a person’s life, in times of peace or instability. But in crisis settings, threats soar. Armed conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies can significantly weaken a society’s ability to protect women and girls from gender-based violence. Rates of intimate partner violence often increase in crisis settings. Many armed groups also use sexual violence as a tool of warfare to advance military or political aims. All the while, girls and women may be forced to trade sex for food, money and other resources they need to survive. And in some places, they are married off early or forcefully, to protect or care for their families. Survivors of gender-based violence suffer devastating short- and long-term consequences to their physical and mental health. Women and girls may experience severe physical injuries, unwanted pregnancies and exposure to HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the limited ability to complete daily tasks, and suicidal thoughts are also common. What’s more, many survivors are subjected to victim-blaming or ostracized from their families and communities due to social norms. This puts them at significant risk of poverty, isolation and further violence. Some survivors are forced to marry their perpetrators. Others face retaliation for reporting their experiences or seeking support – including at the hands of family members. At its worst, gender-based violence can result in death, like in situations of ‘honour killings’.

Aghsan Foundation works in Iraq to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. We focus on the unique needs of girls and women – recognizing their systemic exposure to gender-based violence – while helping to ensure that support is available for all survivors of sexual violence, including boys. In coordination with governments, civil society and United Nations partners, we provide survivors with clinical health services, dignity kits, psychosocial support and the safe spaces they need to access care and protection. Safe spaces allow women and girls to participate in activities for empowerment and gain access to critical information on their risks, rights and needs. This includes information on how to access aid and where to report sexual exploitation and abuse. In many emergencies, safe spaces are the only way women and girls can access relevant and life-saving information.