Women’s Human Rights in Conflict: Addressing Gender-Based Challenges in Times of war & Instability

Shama khanam

Women in Conflict: The Hidden Heroes Who Transform War into Hope

When war erupts, it is the women and girls who endure the deepest scars. Their lives are torn apart by violence, displacement, and unspeakable suffering. They are stripped of their homes, their dignity, and often their future. Their bodies are weaponized in battles they never chose to fight. Yet, in the midst of unspeakable pain, women rise not as passive victims, but as the silent warriors who rebuild societies, advocate for peace, and transform their suffering into hope for the generations to come.

The Devastating Impact of Conflict on Women

In the chaos of war, women are not only victims of violence, but also of systemic neglect and abuse. The United Nations reports that one in five women in conflict zones will experience sexual violence, though the true numbers are likely far higher. From the Democratic Republic of Congo to Syria to Myanmar, rape is used as a weapon of war, leaving not just physical scars, but a deep, enduring trauma that lasts a lifetime.

Women in conflict zones face not only direct violence but also a loss of the basic services they rely on: healthcare, education, employment, and economic security. Without these essentials, maternal mortality rates soar, forced marriages spike, and early marriages become a desperate survival tactic. In Syria alone, women and girls make up almost half of the 7 million displaced refugees, facing poverty, exploitation, and relentless violence.

A Woman in a War

In the land where men fight to defend the nation,

They forget our battles, our silent desperation.

They believe love will bloom when victory is won,

But will I live to see that sun?

No place to sleep, no place to hide,

My own people see me as flesh, not pride.

I guard myself from those I have known,

Then come the strangers, their cruelty grown.

To them, we are bodies, not souls with a name,

They plant their seed, yet shun the shame.

My sister bleeds for the very first time,

Yet no cloth to keep her dignity prime.

We are hungry not just for bread,

But for love, for a touch unsaid.

Not as objects, not as scars,

But as women, whole, despite the wars.

The Silent Burden: Women as the Pillars of Survival

While war ravages their bodies and minds, women are left to hold together the fragile remnants of their communities. In the absence of men, women take on the roles of caregivers, breadwinners, and leaders. They raise children in refugee camps, rebuild homes from rubble, and keep hope alive when everything else seems lost. In Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Syria, women are the ones who make sure their families survive even when it feels impossible.

In Syria, 145,000 refugee households are led by women. These women face overwhelming challenges like poverty, hunger, violence. But they carry on, providing food, comfort, and stability to their children. Their resilience is nothing short of extraordinary. Yet the emotional toll is unimaginable. Many of these women suffer from PTSD, anxiety, and depression but still, they keep fighting for the future, not just of their children, but of their entire communities.

The Psychological Cost: A Battle No One Sees

The scars of war are not always visible. Women who survive sexual violence, displacement, and loss carry the psychological burden long after the fighting ends. In conflict zones like Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda, thousands of women are left to rebuild their lives in isolation, struggling with trauma, depression, and a sense of hopelessness. Many survivors of sexual violence live in silence, unable to seek help due to the shame and stigma they face.

Yet, despite the unimaginable pain, many women rise to become powerful leaders and agents of change. Women like Leymah Gbowee, who led the movement that ended Liberia’s brutal civil war, or Malala Yousafzai, who continues to fight for girls’ education in the face of violence. These women show the world that even in the darkest of times, women are not just victims. They are fighters, survivors, and peacemakers.

Women as Architects of Peace and Resistance

In the midst of conflict, women become the unsung architects of peace and resistance. Though they are often excluded from formal peace talks, studies show that when women are included, peace agreements are 35% more likely to last. In Liberia, Leymah Gbowee’s leadership of the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace helped bring an end to a 14-year civil war. Their peaceful protests, including a sex strike, pressured warring factions to negotiate, paving the way for Africa’s first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

In Sudan, women made up 70% of the protesters during the 2019 revolution, standing up to a dictatorship that had oppressed them for years. Figures like Alaa Salah, a young woman who stood on top of a car and demanded change, became the face of a revolution that inspired the world.

In Afghanistan, despite the Taliban’s brutal repression, women like Zarifa Ghafari, one of the first female mayors in Afghanistan, continue to demand their right to education, employment, and freedom. Their courage in the face of terror speaks to the unbreakable spirit of women in conflict zones.

Rebuilding from the Ruins: Women Leading the Way

When war finally ends, it is women who often lead the rebuilding of societies. In Rwanda, after the 1994 genocide, women took on the immense task of rebuilding their nation. With a large portion of men lost or absent, women stepped up to heal a fractured society. Today, Rwanda has the highest percentage of women in parliament globally (61.3%), and these women are at the forefront of the country’s reconciliation efforts. Their leadership has proven that peace is not just about ending conflict, but about rebuilding trust and unity.

Yet, despite their critical role in rebuilding nations, women in conflict zones continue to face rejection, stigma, and violence. Survivors of sexual violence, especially in conservative societies, often find themselves ostracized and abandoned. In Iraq, Yazidi women who were captured and enslaved by ISIS face rejection even after being rescued, forced to rebuild their lives alone. But, with support from organizations like the Rwandan Women’s Network, women are given the tools to heal, regain their dignity, and rebuild their lives.

The Call to Action: A Future Built on Equality and Justice

The world cannot afford to ignore the contributions of women any longer. Governments, institutions, and civil society must act to ensure that women are not just seen but empowered in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Women must be included in all levels of decision-making because when women are at the table, peace lasts longer, societies heal faster, and nations are rebuilt stronger.

It is time to invest in women-led NGOs, support their mental health, education, and employment programs, and ensure that peace agreements include legally binding gender provisions. It is time to highlight women’s contributions to peace in the media and education, so the world remembers that women are not only survivors of war, they are the architects of a better future.

A Future Built on Justice, Equality, and Peace

Women don’t seek special treatment; they seek justice, recognition, and equal opportunities to shape their futures. They have proven, time and again, that when they are included, peace endures, and societies flourish. The world must recognize that true peace is not simply the absence of war, but the presence of justice, equality, and dignity for all. It is time for the world to listen, to act, and to ensure that the women who have been the backbone of survival and peacebuilding in the darkest times are finally given the recognition they deserve.

Because when women lead, the world moves toward a future where war is not just survived but overcome.