Conflict

65 MILLION DISPLACED PEOPLE AND FEWER THAN 1% GET RESETTLED

The number of displaced people across the world is close to 65 million. Sixteen million refugees are eligible for resettlement, however, fewer than 1% of refugees get resettled. Refugees undergo more rigorous screening than anyone else we allow into the U.S.

HALF SYRIAN POPULATION DISPLACED

Syria is experiencing a humanitarian crisis where 12 million people have been displaced, equivalent to half of the Syrian population. Two thousand Syrian refugees have been resettled in the U.S. since the FY2011. Zero Syrian refugees resettled in the U.S. have been arrested or removed on terrorism charges.

FOUR OUT OF FIVE SYRIAN REFUGEES ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN

In Syria, women and children constitute the majority of refugees and internally displaced. Nearly four of every five people who have fled Syria in the past three years have been women and children.

WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE AT RISK OF PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE

When crisis occurs, people who have lost or fled their homes need urgent assistance. It is essential that these basic needs be met. But for women and girls, meeting the basic needs is not the only lifesaving action required. In times of crisis, women are at enormous risk of physical and sexual violence.

WOMEN AND GIRLS NEED TO BE SAFE AND EMPOWERED TO THRIVE

The rise of radical extremist groups like ISIS bring women’s safety and security directly under attack, with actions that brutally strip women and girls of gains towards equality. For women and girls, the need is for immediate action not only to make them safe from exploitation and abuse, but also safe and empowered to be active participants in their homes, communities and their own lives. When a girl is better educated and safe from violence and exploitation she can break the cycle of poverty.

SYRIAN WOMEN AND GIRLS SUBJECT TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

According to International Rescue Committee’s report “Are We Listening? Acting on Our Commitments to Women and Girls,” women and girls in particular are severely and adversely affected by the Syrian conflict. Many women and girls have been subject to:

• Sexual exploitation and harassment
• Increased incidents of domestic violence at home
• Coerced into early marriages
• Feeling of isolation and imprisonment in own homes due to safety concerns
• Pulled out of school due to harassment and assault and to protect family honor

PROGRAMMING PROVEN TO KEEP SYRIAN WOMEN AND GIRLS SAFE

The report states programming to help keep displaced Syrian women and girls safe includes the following:

• Safety audits a way to identify and respond to risks in community
• Cash assistance provides greater access and control
• Community-Based Education is a way to keep girls safe and in school
• Safe Spaces strengthen support networks, promote coping with trauma of displacement and build resilience

The Sasha G.M. Shaikh Foundation is dedicated to improving the human condition by empowering the most vulnerable members of society. We provide support to other U.S. based 501c3 non-profit organizations that help women and girls in need. We envision a world of gender equality where women are educated, empowered, and free from all types of gender-based violence.