According to a United Nations (UN) report, the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled in 2023 compared to the previous year, accounting for 40% of all war-related deaths.
At the same time, UN-verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence surged by 50%, marking a disturbing increase in violence against women in war zones. These alarming statistics were revealed in the latest annual report on women, peace, and security from the UN Secretary-General.
According to UN Women, the lead agency on the report, this rise in death and violence reflects an “increasing blatant disregard of international law designed to protect women and children during war.”
Women Suffer Most in Conflict Zones
The report highlighted the global rise in civilian deaths during conflicts, with at least 33,443 civilians killed in armed violence in 2023, an increase of 72% compared to 2022. Even more alarming is the fact that the number of women and children killed has skyrocketed. The proportion of women killed has doubled, while the number of children killed has tripled.
The deadliest conflict zone for civilians in 2023 was the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, accounting for 70% of all recorded deaths, according to the report.
In addition to the rise in casualties, women in war-torn regions are facing increasingly restricted access to healthcare. The report highlighted that every day, 500 women and girls in conflict-affected countries die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. In Gaza alone, 180 women were giving birth daily by the end of 2023, most without access to necessities or adequate medical care.
“Women continue to pay the price of the wars of men,” said Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women. She stressed that the “deliberate targeting of women’s rights is not unique to conflict-affected countries but is even more lethal in those settings.”
No Women, No Peace
The findings come nearly 25 years after the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1325 in 2000, a landmark resolution that recognized the vital role women play in preventing and resolving conflicts. It called on warring parties to ensure the safety of women and girls and urged women’s full participation in peace processes.
However, despite global commitments, progress has been slow. In 2023, women made up less than 10% of negotiators in more than 50 peace processes worldwide. This is especially concerning given that studies have shown peace agreements are more likely to succeed and last longer when women are involved.
While women have led successful peace initiatives in some areas, these efforts are often unsupported or underfunded. For instance, in Yemen, women-led negotiations have secured safe access to water for civilians, while in Sudan, 49 women-led organizations are pushing for more inclusive peace processes. However, such efforts remain largely unrecognized in formal peace negotiations.
A key challenge identified in the report is the severe lack of funding for initiatives that support women’s rights and participation in peace efforts. While global military expenditures reached a record $2.44 trillion in 2023, funding for women’s rights organizations makes up only 0.3% of total aid. Additionally, investments in gender-based violence prevention and response account for less than 1% of all humanitarian spending.
Bold Actions Needed to Secure Peace
The report concluded with eight key recommendations to advance women’s role in peace and security, including setting an initial target for women to make up one-third of participants in mediation and peace processes, with the ultimate goal of achieving parity with men.
According to the report, “Only through bold political action and increased funding will women’s equal and meaningful participation in peace and security become a reality.” Such action is essential, it states, for achieving lasting peace in conflict-affected regions.
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