This paper draws attention to the many ways in which girls experience violence during armed conflict or crises, and briefly presents some of the activities carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to protect and assist them.

The paper categorises strategies into five categories. These and some of the recommendations include:

• Continuous promotion of the rule of law:
  • prohibitions on rape and all other forms of sexual violence must be included in the military codes, training manuals and instructions of all arms bearers
  • implementation of and respect for international law addressing the needs of girls in armed conflict
• Specific protection measures in the event of displacement:
  • location and layout of camps and settlements for internally displaced people should maximise the protection of all those whose physical security is most at risk
  • the security in camps should be monitored through law enforcement personnel and/or camp committees. Mechanisms should be established for addressing instances of violence against girls
• Restoring family links: in weighing a child's best interest, it is important to bear the following points in mind:
  • children may be reluctant to reunite with their parents as they no longer will be able to benefit from the education offered to them in camps
  • parents should not be pressured into accepting a child's return if they are not truly willing to do so
• Specific protection measures for girls in disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) processes:
  • girls must be eligible to enter a DDR process as full persons, whether or not they surrender weapons
  • counselling programmes are needed for girls who have suffered trauma, become addicted to drugs or alcohol or engaged in prostitution and efforts should be made to inform them of the existence of these programmes
• Understanding the situation of girls: the need for disaggregated data: it is essential to establish appropriate monitoring mechanisms if the rights of girls affected by armed conflict are to be effectively protected.

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PUBLISHER About: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

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