CONFLICT’S IMPACT ON WOMEN AND MEN Global conflict-related data disaggregated by sex are scarce, and when they are available, they are often unreliable. Still, small area-specific surveys yield some insights showing that men are much more likely to die directly and during conflicts, whereas women die or are otherwise harmed more often of indirect causes after a conflict (Ormhaug, 2009). Every estimate of direct conflict deaths suggests that more than 90 per cent of all casualties occur among young adult males (Cummings et al., n.d.).
DIRECT IMPACTS MEN
INDIRECT IMPACTS
• Higher rates of morbidity and mortality from battle deaths • Higher likelihood to be detained or missing • Sexual and gender-based violence: sex-selective massacres; forcibly conscripted or recruited; subjected to torture, rape and mutilation; forced to commit sexual violence upon others
• Risk of ex-combatants’ involvement in criminal or illegal activities and difficulties in finding livelihoods • Increased prevalence of other forms of violence—particularly domestic violence
• Higher rates of disability from injury
COMMON
• Depression, trauma and emotional distress
• Asset and income loss • Tendency towards increased migration • Disrupted patterns of marriage and fertility • Loss of family and social networks, including insurance mechanisms • Interrupted education • Eroded well-being, particularly poor health and disability from poverty and malnutrition
WOMEN
• Higher likelihood to be internally displaced persons and refugees • Gender-based violence: being subjected to rape, trafficking and prostitution; forced pregnancies and marriages
• Reproductive health problems • Women’s reproductive and care-giving roles under stress • Changed labour market participation from death of family members and “added worker effect” • Higher incidence of domestic violence • Possibility for greater political participation
(Anderlini, 2010)
• Women’s increased economic participation due to changing gender roles during conflict
THE STATE OF WORLD POPULATION 2015
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