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Impact of Conflict on Women and Girls
09 January 2025
Lead MP
Alice Macdonald
Norwich North
Lab/Co-op
Responding Minister
Anneliese Dodds
Tags
Ukraine
Word Count: 18776
Other Contributors: 15
At a Glance
Alice Macdonald raised concerns about impact of conflict on women and girls in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The UK must champion the protection of education in conflict zones and hold governments and militias accountable when they attack schools or use them for military purposes. The Government should support calls to recognise what is happening as gender apartheid and pursue it through the UN so that it is treated as a war crime.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
According to the UN, in 2023 an estimated 612 million women and girls lived within 50 km of a conflict—an increase of 41% since 2015. This number is more than the population of the United States of America and Brazil combined. Women are dying because of the impact of war, with the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubling in 2023 compared to the previous year. Sexual violence in conflict has also risen dramatically, with UN-verified cases soaring by 50%.
Alice Macdonald
SNP
Inverness Nairn Moray
Acknowledged consensus on both sides of the House regarding the need for leadership and focused action against male violence in conflict zones, emphasizing the importance of listening to women's voices.
Anna Gelderd
Lab
South East Cornwall
Raised concerns about climate change's impact on women and girls in conflict situations, emphasising the need for robust systems to provide vital support during crises. Discussed the role of women in climate crisis work, echoing the lead MP's call for women's involvement in development policy.
Anneliese Dodds
Lab
Oxford East
Discussed UK aid efforts supporting Syrian refugees and women’s organisations. Raised concerns over medical supplies to Gaza and treatment of Palestinian detainees. Discussed Lord Collins' visit to Colombia and the UK's support for preventing sexual violence in conflict.
Southgate and Wood Green
Emphasised the importance of education for girls in conflict zones, highlighting its impact on peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. Advocated for the UK to champion the protection of education and hold governments accountable when schools are attacked.
Ellie Chowns
Green
North Herefordshire
Pays tribute to the hon. Member for Norwich North for securing the debate, highlighting the importance of sexual violence as a weapon in conflict and reflecting on personal experience in international development.
Emily Darlington
Lab
Milton Keynes Central
Supports the debate on sexual violence in conflict zones, emphasizing the obligation to uphold women's safety and dignity. Acknowledges that rape as a strategic tactic is undeniable and highlights consequences such as unwanted pregnancies, psychological trauma, and lack of access to healthcare.
Jim Shannon
UUP
Strangford
Emphasised the importance of coming together across parties to address CRSV and highlighted the need for women's representation at peace negotiation tables. Asked about the Government's involvement in protecting Christians and other ethnic faiths, particularly women, in Syria.
Kirsteen Sullivan
Lab/Co-op
Bathgate and Linlithgow
Highlighted that conflict amplifies risks faced by women and girls, including surges in intimate partner violence, limited access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, and heightened caregiving burdens. Urged for the inclusion of women’s voices in humanitarian relief efforts and peacebuilding negotiations.
Aylesbury
Noted that around 600 million women live in or near armed conflicts today, highlighting reproductive health issues in Gaza and Sudan with testimonies from the International Development Committee.
Mike Martin
LD
Tunbridge Wells
Discussed the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls, citing cases from Ukraine and Afghanistan. Highlighted systematic violence against women by Russian forces in Ukraine and Taliban's violation of women’s rights in Afghanistan. Highlighted the role of women in brokering peace between clans in Somalia, Somaliland, and other Somali countries.
Sharon Hodgson
Lab
Washington and Gateshead South
Expressed gratitude for the debate on violence against women in conflict, emphasising the need to address this issue through a gendered lens.
Nia Griffith
Lab
Llanelli
Discussed the denial of medical supplies to Gaza and highlighted the increase in gender-based violence in Sudan, noting a 288% rise in case-management services for GBV.
Glasgow West
Discusses the disproportionate impact of conflicts on women, highlighting cases in Gaza and Myanmar where violence against women has escalated. Emphasizes the exclusion of women from peacebuilding efforts.
Sam Rushworth
Lab
Bishop Auckland
Emphasised the importance of women in upstream prevention efforts with examples of Sri Lankan peacebuilder Dishani Jayaweera, Nigerian human rights activist Badung Charity Audu, and Iraqi Yazidi woman Khalidah. Emphasized the importance of upstream prevention, quality aid, and getting cash directly to women on the ground who know how to spend it effectively for their communities.
Wendy Morton
Con
Aldridge-Brownhills
During our time in government, we were at the heart of the international response to CRSV. Since launching the preventing sexual violence in conflict initiative—PSVI—in 2012, we continued to lead the world in addressing those crimes.
Government Response
Anneliese Dodds
The Minister for Development
Government Response
The UK Government will continue to build on its ambition regarding CRSV and aims to empower women by ensuring their involvement in peacebuilding. The minister highlighted the importance of listening to women's voices, participating in peace processes, and raising awareness about the impact of conflict-related sexual violence. She committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen women's roles in peace negotiations and conflict resolution. Responded to queries about the protection of Christians in Syria, support for Syrian refugees, humanitarian access to Gaza, treatment of Palestinian detainees, conflict-related sexual violence against Israelis and Afghans, Taliban's oppression of women, gender apartheid as a new crime against humanity, commitment to preventing conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.