The Pros And Cons Of Women Refugees

Women refugees tend to not leave their homeland unless conditions become so unbearable that they are forced to leave. When they do leave, they look forward to refuge and safety after the struggles they have faced; however, they continue to face multiple, gruesome hardships on their journey to refuge. The source of their struggle to gain refuge comes from the lack of gender-sensitivity and knowledge about the necessities that women refugees require that differ from the male counterparts. Additionally, violence is a major hardship they face; due to chaos, there is an increase in the amount of violence women refugees are subjected to. Refugees are “those who flee wretched conditions associated with poverty, marginalization

591). There were multiple limitations as to what the definition of a refugee was, in 1951. As Jane Freedman observed, due to the legal definition of refugees in that particular time, “large groups of displaced people fleeing from international conflicts or from civil wars were not envisaged as refugees at this point” (2007, p. 591). Even though the definitions of the term ‘refugee’ have expanded, the strict, discriminatory definition of the past still has negative impacts on refugees, especially women refugees, seeking asylum in modern

The reluctance was due to the belief that the camps and equipment provided were beneficial to all genders and hence the specific gender recognition was unnecessary. Despite the reluctance, laws were implemented that addressed the needs of women and the necessary protection measures required. However, these laws were not enough and they failed women refugees, for they were still vulnerable to several accounts of violence that were a consequence of chaos and helplessness. Due to civil unrest and chaos, violence increases amongst civilians. According to Schmuel and Shenker, an increase in male violence is directly correlated with an increase in chaos and a lack of order or implemented laws (1998, p. 241). Usually, male violence at these times are aimed at women. Due to the lack of order and an indifference towards societal limitations, it becomes acceptable for men to abuse women and hence increases the vulnerability of these women. The increase in chaos causes a severe increase in gender-based violence. Gender-based violence, according to Basile, Saltzman, and the UNHCR, is “a major public health issue worldwide, a violation human rights and in some cases a crime against humanity. It