Women and girls fleeing conflict, violence and insecurity are finding unsafe and substandard living conditions as they arrive in Greece, transit through the Balkans and seek refuge and asylum in Europe. The lack of consideration given to women and girls within the crisis response has serious implications for their safety and well-being. Organisations at the front lines of the refugee crisis report that women and children – who have made up 59% of arrivals in Greece since January 2016 – are experiencing serious and varied forms of gender-based violence, including rape and sexual exploitation.The international community has a responsibility to protect all women and girls, regardless of their immigration status, from gender-based violence, abuse and exploitation, and to provide life-saving assistance to those that have been subjected to such harm.

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