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Summary: The Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children has released a first-of-its-kind report on ways to mitigate widespread violence against displaced women and girls as they collect firewood.
Despite the known dangers, these women and girls must collect wood to sell or cook with in order to survive in conflict situations around the world. The new report outlines a number of practical solutions that could save thousands of women and girls from being attacked. “Every day, millions of displaced women and girls must collect firewood for their families in dangerous conditions, and are at risk of rape, assault, abduction, theft, exploitation and even death,” says Women’s Commission Executive Director Carolyn Makinson. “They have no choice—it’s a matter of survival. It’s time for the international community to take coordinated action to address this problem.” The report addresses alternative fuel options, firewood collection techniques and other protection strategies that should be used in displaced and refugee situations worldwide. At the start of a new emergency, a lead agency should coordinate all fuel-related activities—in consultation with displaced women—to provide food that needs little cooking and to consider the direct provision of fuel to families. In addition, transportation to firewood collection sites and/or regular patrols of the routes should be enacted. At the same time, alternative technology should be considered, such as fuel-efficient stoves, solar energy or briquettes. Such stoves can reduce firewood consumption by up to 80 percent. Any fuel or technology should be evaluated for medium- to long-term use and take into account safety, locally available materials, sustainability and cost. Case studies highlight the problem in Darfur and Nepal. Sexual assaults on displaced women and girls outside displaced persons camps in Darfur occur with stunning frequency; it’s perhaps the most dangerous place in the world for women to collect firewood. The research in Nepal, where Bhutanese refugees have received kerosene since 1992 and where they also use alternative fuel options, has found that sexually based attacks outside the refugee camps are relatively rare. “Although rape and other violence during firewood collection is a serious problem, it is one that the international community can do something about now,” Makinson says. “To be effective, however, these strategies mush be coordinated and accompanied by the development of alternative income generation activities.” Key Recommendations: Read more about the rights of women and girls and International Women's Day 2006