Why Not Local? Gender-based Violence, Women’s Rights Organisations, and the Missed Opportunity of COVID-19

Women are more likely to live in poorer households globally than men. Countries where this is evident are predominantly fragile or conflict-affected. In order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure no one is left behind, women’s economic empowerment must be prioritized and resourced in crisis contexts.

This report provides new evidence and builds on previous policy research by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which for years has called for urgent attention to women and girls’ needs and priorities in humanitarian crises. Building from existing frameworks – including the Call to Action on Protection from GBV in Emergencies, the Generation Equality Forum, and the Grand Bargain – we call on humanitarian actors to fulfil their commitments and increase the prioritisation of GBV interventions in humanitarian crises.

This report sheds light on the condition of women and girls inside Syria and those who have fled the conflict for safety in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq.