Child protection Issue Brief: Sexual violence against children

This is UNHCR’s 2014 Child Protection Issue Brief on sexual violence against children. Refugee and displaced women, girls, and boys are disproportionally at risk of sexual violence, used as a weapon of war. In addition, emergency and poor living conditions can push girls and boys can engage in sexual activities (‘survival sex’) in exchange for material goods, aid, or food.

This issue brief reveals a continual need for policy changes, interventions, prevention and response tools, etc. to mitigate the still tangible threat of sexual violence and gender-based violence against children.

UNHCR campaigns for sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) to be a topic of concern in child protection systems. Both UNHCR partners, agencies, and national legal frameworks need to coordinate in order to work towards a more cohesive system to protect children at risk from SGBV.