Field Notes

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East Africa: As Refugee Numbers Increase, so Does the Risk of Gender-Based Violence

By Micah Williams

As drought and famine in Somalia force hundreds of thousands to flee their homes for neighboring countries, women and girls face great risk of gender-based violence (GBV), both during their journey and upon arrival in refugee camps.
 
With any emergency, the threat of violence against women and girls increases. We know from experience all over the world that sexual violence often increases as populations move, whether due to natural disaster or conflict. The famine and conflict in Somalia, and the massive displacement that has resulted, is especially concerning for many reasons.
 
First, there are a large number of refugees – some 118,000 in the Dolo Ado region of southeastern Ethiopia alone – the majority of whom are female. Moreover, an alarming 88 percent are under the age of 18. Most unaccompanied children have been taken in by host families, but this young and vulnerable population will be difficult to protect.
 
Somali refugees are in great need of all basic services and are completely reliant on support from the Ethiopian government and humanitarian agencies for survival. This level of dependency leads to stress and frustrations that may be contributing factors to GBV, particularly domestic violence. Such dependency also leaves refugees highly vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation (SEA).
 
At the request of the Ethiopian Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA), International Medical Corps conducted an assessment of risk factors for GBV among newly arrived refugee populations in Dolo Ado. We identified a number of factors of concern for women and girls.
 
Refugees are living in overcrowded conditions that can lead to opportunistic violence. There is no lighting in the camps, and limited security presence. There are no separate latrines or bathing facilities for females, and many are traveling to remote areas to tend to basic needs of privacy. Women and girls are also leaving the camps to collect firewood, where they face risks of sexual violence.
 
It is also important to consider the context of GBV in Somalia, both to understand women’s and girls’ experiences with violence before arrival in Ethiopia, and because practices and beliefs that contribute to GBV are transferred across the border with Somali refugees. Multiple forms of GBV, including sexual violence, early and forced marriage, and the most extensive type of female genital cutting, are widespread in Somalia.  With few services available in the fractured state, Somali refugees have had little, if any, support for health, psychological and social consequences of their experiences with violence. Newly arrived refugees are unfamiliar with support services for survivors of violence, including post-rape treatment to prevent infections and unwanted pregnancies. We want to ensure that all refugees are aware of these services, and we are working with communities to prevent further violence.
 
International Medical Corps has been engaged in GBV prevention and response among Somali refugees in the Dolo Ado region since 2009. GBV prevention and response remains a top priority in International Medical Corps’ emergency response for newly arrived refugees, along with nutrition, health, and hygiene and sanitation services.
Somali refugees have demonstrated great strength and determination in their pursuit of better lives, walking days and sometimes weeks to cross the border into Ethiopia. International Medical Corps is committed to honoring the dignity of this population, by providing not only lifesaving services, but also support services to enhance quality of life.

Micah Williams is global advisor for gender-based violence at International Medical Corps.