Rising conflict imperils women and girls, from rampant food insecurity to escalating sexual violence.  

Feeling safe and secure is a fundamental human right, yet women often feel less secure than men. In 88 countries and areas surveyed from 2020 to 2022, only 65 per cent of women felt safe walking alone at night where they live, compared to 77 per cent of men. This disparity is most pronounced in Northern Africa and Western Asia.  

Conflict and violence significantly threaten the safety of women and girls, leading to displacement, food insecurity, economic vulnerability and sexual violence. In 2023, 612 million women and girls lived within 50 kilometres of at least one of 170 armed conflicts, an increase of 41 per cent since 2015. The United Nations verified 3,688 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence, a 50 per cent rise since 2022, with women and girls making up 95 per cent of victims. Including women in conflict resolution leads to better outcomes, but women continue to be extremely underrepresented in peace negotiations. Preliminary 2023 data indicate that women averaged only 9.6 per cent of negotiators across more than 50 processes analyzed.

Conflict has spurred an increased need for humanitarian assistance, delivered by aid workers under very difficult conditions, including overt attacks. In 2023, 570 aid workers were victims of violence in 262 separate attacks, resulting in 273 deaths, 213 injuries and 84 kidnappings. United Nations staff made up 42.6 per cent of these victims, three times more than in 2022. In Gaza, 202 United Nations staff members have been killed since the war began in October 2023. Aid workers deliver relief to populations in desperate need, and respect for international law is paramount to ensure their safety. They should not be targeted under any circumstances.

Proportion of the population that feels safe walking alone at night where they live, by region and sex, 2020–2022 (percentage)