612 Million Women and Girls Live in Conflict Zones: A Call to Action

UN Under-Secretary-General, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous. Photo: Google

The UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous, has said that “over 612 Million Women and Girls are living in conflict zones.” She was speaking at the UN Security Council high-level open debate on the “protection of civilians in armed conflict held at the UN Headquarters on 22nd May 2025. 

Addressing the Security Council, Sima said, “Today, over 612 million women and girls are living in conflict zones. That is not just a number; it should be a call to action for all of us. In war, women and girls are not just caught in the crossfire. They, their bodies, their health, their choices, and their voices are actively targeted. Conflict-related sexual violence is a protection crisis that rightfully warrants attention. I know the Council will consider this issue with the sustained focus it demands.” 

“In Gaza, 75% of women suffer from depression. Girls say they wish they were dead. In Afghanistan, women speak of living in prisons. In Ukraine, domestic violence is rising, and more than half of displaced women report depression. These are not isolated statistics; they signal profound suffering. Protection must include psychological support. Without it, women cannot recover, they cannot rebuild, nor lead,” She said.

The UN Women Boss said her speech will focus on forms of gender-based violence that are too often overlooked: reproductive violence, explosive armed violence, mental trauma, and targeted attacks on women in public life. She said these are threats increasingly enabled by digital technologies.

“Across too many conflicts, women’s bodies become battlegrounds through sexual violence and also through the deliberate denial of reproductive rights and health services. Sixty-one per cent of all maternal deaths occur in just 35 conflict-affected countries. In the past year, we have seen bombed maternity wards, blockaded medical supplies, and massive funding cuts,” she said. 

She added that in Afghanistan, where 90 per cent of women lack access to essential healthcare services, a woman dies from preventable pregnancy-related complications every two hours. She said one-third had already been covered without medical assistance. She said that with bans on female workers and shrinking access to care, maternal deaths are projected to rise by 50 per cent by 2026.

In Gaza, Madam Sima said, “Over 28,000 women and girls have been killed since October 2023: an average of one woman and one girl killed every hour. Tens of thousands have given birth under bombardment and siege, without anaesthetics, without postpartum care or clean water, and while being malnourished, displaced, and traumatised.” She said these are not natural consequences of war, but they constitute a pattern of reproductive violence.

She urged that reproductive violence be treated as a distinct category of harm and that perpetrators be held accountable. She said the destruction of reproductive health infrastructure represents a blatant violation of international law, and it is costing women their lives. “Too often, women are seen as indirect victims. But they are direct targets of bombs and missiles. When markets, maternity wards, girls’ schools, and homes are hit, women and girls die; it is no accident. These attacks are growing more frequent, and they show exactly how wars are being waged,” She said.

UN Women Boss said, “In Myanmar, air strikes increased after the devastating earthquake in March, despite a declared ceasefire. For women and girls, this meant renewed displacement, perilous journeys, loss of access to healthcare, and heightened risks of trafficking and exploitation”. She added that violence leaves scars not only on the body but on the mind. She said Trauma compounds over time, especially when layered with loss, displacement, and with constant fear. She said Mental health is not a luxury, it is life-saving.

Madam Sima said that Women who speak out, journalists, activists, and politicians face bullets, bombs, threats, and smear campaigns. She said even when they are not physically attacked, they are driven out by digital violence: deepfakes, harassment, and disinformation. She said online spaces have also become battlegrounds.

“In Ukraine, 81 per cent of women journalists report facing online abuse. In Yemen, manipulated images and online attacks have pushed many women out of journalism. This is deliberate and must be addressed as a civilian protection issue. Protection and participation are inseparable. Without safety, women cannot organise, they cannot speak, they cannot lead. And without their leadership, peace efforts fail, and accountability breaks down,” she said.

She then before asked the Council for three things: She said they must do more to support justice and accountability for women and girls. She said the UN Women works relentlessly to seek justice for crimes against women and girls in war and to ensure they are recorded for posterity. She also asked them to support women’s organisations on the frontlines. She said that despite everything, women resist with courage, leadership and care.

Finally, she asked them to recognise women’s empowerment as a protection strategy. She said Protection and participation go hand in hand. She said the most effective shield they can offer women and girls is their power, their voices, and their leadership. She said when women lead, they protect not only themselves but their families, their communities and their countries. When they participate in politics, in security forces, and in peace processes, the impact is transformative.