2006 (Executive Committee—57th Session)
No. 105 (LVII) - CONCLUSION ON WOMEN AND GIRLS AT RISK (2006)
The Executive Committee,
Recalling its Conclusions Nos. 39 (XXXVI), 54 (XXXIX), 60 (XL) and 64 (XLI) on refugee women; Nos.
47 (XXXVIII), 59 (XL) and 84 (XLVIII) on refugee children and/or adolescents; Nos. 73 (XLIV) and 98 (LIV)
on refugee protection and sexual violence and protection from sexual abuse and exploitation respectively, and
No. 94 (LIII) on the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum,
Recalling that Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security and the subsequent
Action Plan (S/2005/636) provide an integrated framework for a consolidated international and UN-wide
response to this challenge, that Security Council resolution 1261 (1999) and five subsequent resolutions on
children and armed conflict, call on governments, parties to a conflict and other organizations, including UN
bodies, to take wide-ranging action to protect children in armed conflict and afterwards, and that Security
Council resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000) and 1674 (2006), similarly call on parties to armed conflict to
ensure the protection of affected civilians, including women and children,
Acknowledging that, while forcibly displaced men and boys also face protection problems, women and girls
can be exposed to particular protection problems related to their gender, their cultural and socio-economic
position, and their legal status, which mean they may be less likely than men and boys to be able to exercise
their rights and therefore that specific action in favour of women and girls may be necessary to ensure they can
enjoy protection and assistance on an equal basis with men and boys,
Recalling that the protection of women and girls is primarily the responsibility of States, whose full and
effective cooperation, action and political resolve are required to enable UNHCR to fulfil its mandated
functions; and that all action on behalf of women and girls must be guided by obligations under relevant
international law, including, as applicable, international refugee law, international human rights law and
international humanitarian law,
Bearing in mind Conclusion No. 75 (XLV) on internally displaced persons and noting that the protection
challenges for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees may differ, that the normative legal frameworks
for their protection are different, that humanitarian access to internally displaced persons can be more difficult,
that internally displaced women and girls are more likely to be caught in armed conflict and may face specific
protection risks as a result and that the responses and solutions available to refugee and internally displaced
women and girls may be different,
Recognizing that, while women and girls may be exposed to certain risks, such as trafficking, in any
location, the different nature of camp and urban environments can expose women and girls to different
protection risks and that in camps, for example, their freedom of movement and capacity to earn a livelihood
may be more restricted and they may be more exposed there to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV),
whereas in urban situations, they may be less able to exercise their rights effectively, to access protection and
services or reach UNHCR or implementing partner offices,
Acknowledging that the challenges involved in securing the protection of women and girls at risk must be
addressed in a holistic manner and that protection partnerships with governments, UNHCR, other UN agencies,
other international organizations and non-governmental organizations, together with displaced and host
communities, are integral to effective identification, responses, monitoring and solutions,
Acknowledging that each community is different and that an in-depth understanding of religious and cultural
beliefs and practices is required to address the protection risks women and girls face in a sensitive manner while
bearing in mind obligations under international refugee, human rights and humanitarian law,
Reaffirming its call to the international community, in cooperation with UNHCR and other international
organizations, to mobilize the financial and other resources necessary, including in support of host communities,
to ensure the provision of protection and material assistance, and of durable solutions, based on international
solidarity, cooperation, burden and responsibility sharing and the understanding that inadequate protection, or
inadequate, inappropriate or poorly distributed assistance can increase the risks women and girls face,
Acknowledging that forced displacement tends to expose individuals to particular risks, recognizing the
specific needs of women and girls, noting that this Conclusion applies to women and girls who are refugees,
asylum-seekers or IDPs assisted and protected by UNHCR, who find themselves in situations of heightened risk,
and further that it could also be applied, as appropriate, to returnees of concern to UNHCR,
183