This archive report was first published on 20 April 2020.
On April 20, 2020, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) sounded the alarm on the escalating risk of gender-based violence for displaced women and girls amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
Lockdowns and service closures have severely restricted movement and access to essential services, leaving vulnerable women and girls at the mercy of their abusers.
According to Gillian Triggs, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, 'doors should not be left open for abusers and no help spared for women surviving abuse and violence.'
Triggs warned that displaced women may be forced into 'survival sex' or child marriages, while others may be confined with their abusers, exacerbating the risk of violence.
To mitigate this risk, the UNHCR is distributing emergency cash to survivors and women deemed at risk of gender-based violence.
Triggs urged governments to prioritize the protection of displaced women and girls in their COVID-19 action plans, designating essential services for survivors of gender-based violence and ensuring their accessibility.
