Initial Assessment Report: Protection risks for women and girls in the European refugee and migrant crisis

UNHCR, UNFPA, and the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) conducted a seven-day assessment mission to Greece and Macedonia in November 2015 to investigate the protection risks faced by women and girls as a part of the ongoing refugee crisis in the region.

The assessment found that women and girl refugees and migrants face serious protection risks and that the current response from governments, humanitarian actors, EU institutions and agencies and civil society organisations (CSOs) are inadequate.

The UNHCR, UNFPA, and the WRC emphasize that Europe’s response in this crisis needs to match its international obligations, responsibilities and stated values. The European Union, as well as other relevant governments in the region, need to work with humanitarian actors to strengthen resources dedicated to ensuring effective protection, especially for those persons with specific needs or whom are at heightened risk.