Rape and sexual violence have been recognised as instruments of war, designed to weaken families and break down the social fabric of communities and societies. They suffer not only from the by-products of war, but are also targeted as a strategy of war. Women and girls suffer disproportionately from violent conflict. The negative impact of conflict on gender relations and on women in particular has been well documented. It is also widely acknowledged that violent conflict affects men and women in different ways. While state-society relations are weak in most fragile states, this is particularly pronounced for female citizens who have very limited access to state institutions.

This can be in terms of poverty, lack of access to justice and physical insecurity that often characterises fragile states. It is widely acknowledged that fragility most negatively affects the poorest and the most vulnerable groups in society, including women and children.

Peacekeeping and peace support operationsįragility and conflict affect women, men, boys and girls differently.

International engagement in fragile and conflict-affected environments.

Solutions for women in armed conflict