International Women’s Day: Accelerating Action for Refugee Women
By: Yome Jimmy
135.6 years. That’s how long it will take to achieve global gender equality at our current pace, according to the 2021 World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report.
135.6 years of waiting. 135.6 years of untapped potential. 135.6 years of silenced innovations.
We don’t have that kind of time.
For the millions of displaced women and girls around the world, gender inequality isn’t just about statistics—it’s about survival. Refugee women face higher rates of poverty, violence, lack of education, and discrimination, making their fight for equality even more urgent.
This International Women’s Day, the global theme “Accelerate Action” isn’t just a slogan—it’s a call to break down systemic barriers that keep refugee women from reaching their full potential.
Why Acceleration Matters Now
The concept of “acceleration” recognizes that gradual progress isn’t enough. Despite decades of advocacy, women continue to face systemic barriers in nearly every sphere:
- The COVID-19 pandemic erased 25 years of progress in just 25 months, with women’s workforce participation dropping to 1990s levels according to a report from McKinsey & Company.
- Climate change disproportionately affects women, who make up 80% of people displaced by climate-related disasters.
- Women in refugee camps and crisis zones are at high risk of sexual violence, child marriage, and exploitation.
These challenges continue to compound exponentially for refugee women. According to a World Bank analysis of UNHCR, the average length of displacement has now reached 20 years, meaning an entire generation of women and girls will spend their most productive years in limbo without proper steps taken to accelerated action.
Areas Needing Immediate Acceleration
1. Economic Participation and Leadership
According to World Bank Gender Data Portal, women’s labor force participation has stalled globally at around 50% compared to 80% for men. Even when women work, they earn less.
For refugee women, economic barriers are even more severe:
- Only 6% of refugee women are formally employed in their host countries
- 72% report that previous qualifications and work experience aren’t recognized
- Refugee women entrepreneurs receive less than 0.2% of available microfinance options
- Language barriers and documentation issues create additional hurdles to employment
How We Can Accelerate Change:
✔️ Support credential recognition for displaced professionals.
✔️ Provide remote work opportunities for refugee women.
✔️ Fund vocational training and entrepreneurship programs.
2. Representation in Decision-Making
Political representation remains heavily skewed, with women holding just 27.2% of parliamentary seats globally. At the current rate, political parity won’t be achieved until 2077.
For refugee women, political voice is even more limited:
- Only 2% of peace negotiators in conflicts causing displacement are women
- Refugee women are rarely consulted on policies that directly affect them
- Camp management positions are overwhelmingly held by men
- Voter registration processes often exclude displaced populations
How We Can Accelerate Change:
✔️ Ensure refugee women have a seat at policy tables.
✔️ Mentor and train women leaders in displaced communities.
✔️ Include refugee women in peace negotiations and governance.
3. Education and Skills Development
While primary education gender gaps have narrowed significantly, barriers persist in higher education, particularly in STEM fields. Women earn only 35% of STEM degrees globally and make up just 33% of researchers
For refugee girls and women, educational disruption is severe:
- Refugee girls are 2.5 times more likely to be out of school than refugee boys
- Only a number of refugees globally have access to higher education
- Language barriers often delay educational progress by 2-3 years
- Cultural pressures and safety concerns keep many girls confined to shelters
How We Can Accelerate Change:
✔️ Provide mobile learning platforms for refugee girls.
✔️ Offer flexible schooling and vocational programs.
✔️ Create safe educational spaces for women and girls.
4. Health and Bodily Autonomy
Women’s health remains underfunded and understudied. Medical research has historically used male subjects as the default, leading to gaps in understanding conditions that predominantly affect women.
Refugee women face critical health challenges:
- 60% lack access to regular reproductive healthcare
- Maternal mortality rates in refugee settings are 3-5 times the global average
- Gender-based violence services reach only 15% of displaced survivors
- Mental health support is virtually nonexistent despite high trauma rates
How We Can Accelerate Change:
✔️ Deploy mobile health clinics to refugee settlements.
✔️ Expand telemedicine for displaced women.
✔️ Build safe shelters for survivors of violence.
5. Digital Inclusion and Technological Equity
As technology reshapes our world, women risk being left further behind, with women 21% less likely than men to own a smartphone globally.
The digital divide for refugee women is particularly stark:
- Only 29% of refugee women in camps have regular access to a mobile phone
- Digital ID systems often exclude women who lack documentation
- Digital literacy programs rarely reach refugee settlements
How We Can Accelerate Change:
✔️ Provide affordable smartphones and internet access.
✔️ Offer digital literacy training for refugee women.
✔️ Connect refugee women to remote work and education opportunities.
When we accelerate opportunities for refugee women, entire economies benefit.
At Creshendo, we believe that when all women’s voices are fully heard, solutions to our greatest challenges emerge more quickly. Innovation flourishes. Leadership becomes more effective. Communities grow stronger
How You Can Be Part of the Change
Join us today to Accelerate Action and create lasting changes.
- Donate to fund programs supporting refugee women.
- Connect with us on social media to spread awareness.
- Partner with us to create real change.
