Protecting Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls in the Muslim World
This project develops innovative conceptual resources to engage with humanitarian policy and diplomacy in the Muslim world to put displaced women's and girls' protection on the agenda.
Project Lead: Dr Sandra Pertek
Project summary
Forced migration processes are increasingly feminised – more and more women and children undertake dangerous refugee journeys due to conflict and war, climate emergencies and economic inequalities. Women and girls often travel alone, without male relatives and financial resources. With ruptured social networks, lack of language skills and documentation, they face multiple risks of violence, exclusion, discrimination and exploitation across different locations and stages of forced migration, including in transit and refuge. Despite ongoing humanitarian efforts to tackle protection concerns, the scale of recent forced displacement has not been matched with the appropriate resources, capacity and political will to protect displaced women’s rights and dignity.
The Muslim-majority countries are hosts to some of the highest numbers of refugees worldwide. While the Islamic framework for the protection of forced migrants is an important resource, less is known about the specific mechanisms of women’s protection in forced displacement in the Muslim world.
Research objectives
Research objectives
This policy-oriented research project explores the motivations, opportunities and challenges for protecting displaced women and girls in the Muslim majority countries. It aims to develop an evidence base and conceptual resources for integrating the protection of forcibly displaced women and girls from violence, discrimination and exclusion into humanitarian policy and diplomacy in the Muslim world. In doing so, the project will identify dynamics and opportunities for strategic engagement with women’s and girls’ protection in multilateral organisations and humanitarian policy. A policy seminar will serve to exchange knowledge and co-develop recommendations to put the protection of displaced women and girls on the policy agenda.
Partner organisations and sponsors
Partner organisations and sponsors
Funder: Research England QR Policy Support Fund, University of Birmingham
Events
Events
18 March 2024
Empowering conflict-affected women and girls for inclusive peace: CSW side-event at the UN, NY
A side event 'Empowering conflict-affected women and girls: Integrating Economic Empowerment and Capacity Building for Sustainable and Inclusive Peace' was co-convened with Islamic Development Bank at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the UN in NY. The event highlighted the role of women and girls in peacebuilding, their experiences in armed conflict and displacement, and strategies for advancing their contributions to peace. The event featured speakers from the UN, international, inter-governmental and academic institutions, including:
- Dr Sandra Pertek, Project Leader “Protection of Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls in the Muslim World”, Fellow, University of Birmingham
- Mr Pär Liljert, Director, Office to the United Nations, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
- Mr Mohammad Naciri, Chief of Staff, UN Women
- Ms Alva Bruun, Policy Officer, Human Rights, Values and Multilateral Relations, European External Action Service, European Union
- Mr Rasul Omarov, Director General and Dr Fadila Grine, Senior Advisor, Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum
- Mrs Rafif Alam, Senior Women Empowerment Specialist, Women and Youth Empowerment, Islamic Development Bank (chair)
22 November 2023
Building Women's Resilience in Conflict and Displacement: Knowledge exchange session with Islamic Development Bank
A knowledge exchange session 'Building Women's Resilience in Conflict and Displacement' with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) was held to share research findings, exchange expertise and discuss actions needed to promote women’s integration and resilience building. The IsDB countries, many characterized by fragility, host and generate a significant proportion of refugees worldwide and innovative solutions are needed to protracted displacement situations. The exchange was organised by the Women and Youth Empowerment Division from Resilience and Climate Action Department of the IsDB.
9 November 2023
Protecting women in conflict and forced displacement: Oral statement at the OIC 'Women in Islam' international conference
A project statement on ‘Protecting women in conflict and forced displacement’ was shared by Dr Sandra Pertek with the Muslim-majority state representatives who attended the OIC international conference on ‘Women in Islam: Status and Empowerment’ in Jeddah.
31 October 2023
Prioritising displaced women and girls in the Muslim-majority contexts: Bilateral debrief with the OIC leadership
A briefing “A duty, not an option: Prioritising displaced women and girls in the Muslim-majority contexts” was shared and discussed during a bilateral debrief between the OIC Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Social and Cultural Affairs, Amb. Tarig Bakheet and Dr Sandra Pertek (UoB) in Jeddah, at the OIC headquarters.
1 November 2023
'Women in Forced Displacement' session: The OIC-UNHCR training for public officials
An awareness raising session 'Women in Forced Displacement' focused on challenges women face in conflict, forced migration routes and places of refuge was held at the OIC and UNHCR's training 'Emergency Preparedness and Response and Global Refugee Forum Briefing'. Dr Sandra Pertek led the session, shared research findings and policy recommendations to the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
9 June 2023
Women and Forced Displacement in the Muslim World: Roadmap for Research and Innovation Agenda
The workshop (by invitation only, at the University of Birmingham) will explore next steps for developing research and innovation agenda to address the challenges women face in forced displacement in the Muslim world, bringing together leading humanitarian, law, gender and protection experts.
Blogs
Blogs
Outputs
Outputs
- Pertek, S. (2024) Prioritising protection and inclusion of conflict-affected displaced women and girls in Muslim-majority contexts. Policy brief. University of Birmingham.
- Noir, M. and Pertek, S. (2024) Inspiring inclusion in forced displacement: Learning from Uganda. Policy brief. University of Birmingham.
- Pertek, S. (2024) 'Integrating Gender Sensitivity into Faith-Based Humanitarianism', Muslim Humanitarianism Review, vol. 1, no. 1, 1, pp. 31-56. https://doi.org/
10.2979/ mhr.00002 - Pertek, S. (2024) How can Muslim charities improve protection from violence against women in displacement The Forum: The Journal of the British Muslim Charity Sector, 06, 63-67.
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Pertek, S. (2024) Faith sensitive protection from violence against women and girls in humanitarian and forced migration contexts. Guidance Note - Executive Summary. University of Birmingham
- Pertek, S.I. (2023) Protection from violence against women in forced displacement: Integrating religion into intersectional and socioecological approaches Policy Briefing. Birmingham: University of Birmingham.
Blog posts:
- Pertek, S. (2023) Gender, Religion, and Forced Displacement in Muslim Settings: Missed Opportunities?
- Pertek, S., Al-Dawood, A. and Saleem, A. (2023) Sexual and gender-based violence in migration contexts: does faith sensitivity matter?
- Pertek, S. (2023) Gender and forced displacement: Time to integrate religion into humanitarian responses to violence against women | Religion and Global Society