The effects of conflict on the
health and well-being of women and girls in Darfur. Situational analysis report:
conversations with the community
Authors: UNICEF; UNFPA
Produced by:
United Nations (UN) Children's Fund (UNICEF) (2005)
This report
provides an overview of community perceptions about the risks women and girls
currently face in Darfur as a result of the conflict.
The study's main
objectives were to gain an increased understanding of how the conflict had
affected women and girl's health; to determine men's perceptions on how the
conflict had affected the health of women and girls, and to gain insight into
the indigenous ways that the community was using to cope due to the
conflict.
The findings include:
- reasons for girls not attending school include: familial beliefs and
preferences not to send girls to school, not being able to afford school fees;
or lack of space in the existing classrooms
- girls and women reported that incidents of sexual violence, abuse and
abductions are ongoing for them. Most cases of sexual violence are taking
place outside of the camps, usually when girls and women have gone to collect
firewood or grass
- health problems mentioned by women include: physical injuries due to
beatings, rape, miscarriages, excessive bleeding or injuries sustained during
flight from the enemies; sexually transmitted diseases, malnutrition,
irregular menstrual cycles and psychological disturbances such as nightmares
- the majority of the women felt that the available health services were not
enough to cater for their needs - they have to queue for a long time and the
clinics only take a limited number of patients each day
- most women preferred using the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) for
delivery because they were affordable.
Recommendations arising from this study include: the need for increased
access and coverage of health care services, increased prevention and response
to sexual and gender based violence interventions, including training of the
police, GOS and AU military, fuel efficient stoves; community driven income
generation activities, access to girls education, and community-based
psychosocial interventions. In addition, an in-depth investigation needs to be
undertaken to examine health care and education access barriers.
Available online at: http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC20973