Assisting women refugees

The foundation for the protection of the physical security of refugee women, as well as for that of refugees generally, is the universally recognized responsibility of the state to respect and to ensure the fundamental rights of all individuals within its territory. The international system for the protection of refugees and the international system for the protection of human rights both rely first and foremost on states to discharge their responsibility to persons in need of protection. Consequently, effective action to protect refugee women against crimes of sexual violence requires above all the cooperation of the governments concerned. In this connection it is useful to distinguish protection and remedial action in countries of asylum from preventive activities in countries of origin, both before people are forced to become refugees and with regard to voluntary repatriation.

In November 1993, UNIFEM and UNHCR agreed to increase public awareness of women refugees and to guarantee that refugee policies and programmes take account of women's needs and perspectives.