Women 'are main war victims'

Whether being severely suffered by conflicts in places such as the Occupied Territories and Iraq, or any other part of the world, women find themselves forced to play unfamiliar roles during war times, and need the international legal protection they are entitled to, a recent international report stressed.

The report, prepared by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), entitled Women and War, is based on a two-year research (1998-1999). It was published in English and French last year, while its Arabic version was launched in Amman recently.

It aims to "analyze the situation of women during military conflicts, as well as the impact of wars on women," said Enayat Farid, Deputy chief of Cairo-based Regional Support Centre for Communication of the ICRC.

In an interview with Gulf News during a short visit to Amman recently, Farid said the report also aims to acquaint people with the needs of women affected by military conflicts and the provisions of the International Humanitarian Law, and analyze the extents of which the international laws on human rights meet women needs and provide protection for them during wars.

Several issues were considered in the report, said its author Charlotte Lindsey. Apart from physical safety and sexual violence, the report focused on issues such as displacement, lack of access to healthcare and hygiene, food, water, shelter and the problem of missing relatives and its impact on survivors.

It is estimated that nearly 80 per cent of war victims are women and children as military conflicts are taking place in towns and cities and not on frontlines, pointed out some researchers and experts.

While the woman suffers when her family's breadwinner is absent for joining combatants, or because he is taken as a prisoner or killed, she also "might find herself a target either by being taken captive, raped, kidnapped, killed or displaced in the conflicts that lead to ethnic cleansing and occupation," said Queen Rania of Jordan in her speech at the launching ceremony.

Lives of many Arab women, she continued, have been significantly impacted by combats particularly in Palestine and Iraq.

"This region of the world has suffered from events in which Arab women have been and continue to be, the primary victim. The women of Palestine and Iraq provide the most significant testimony to this suffering," the Queen added.

The report said women are not only victims, but have a significant role to play in wars as members of regular armed forces, politicians, leaders of non-governmental organisations and active participants of peace groups.

ICRC officials stressed the importance of women's role in bringing up new generations that "are more aware and capable of respecting laws and treaties". They emphasised, at the same time, the importance of respecting mainly the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in times of wars.

The law calls on protecting women whey they are combatants, by laying down limitations on permissible means and methods of warfare, and when are captured, sick, wounded or shipwrecked combatants.

It also calls on protecting women when they are members of the civilian population not taking an active part in hostilities.

Experts, meanwhile, said there are challenges facing the full implementation of the law, and they strongly believe there is a need for more awareness among peoples of the IHL.

While enlightening women on their rights during military conflicts is considered, at present, a priority, 51 per cent of adult females in the 280-million-population of the Arab region are illiterate. Illiterate female percentage is almost double than the male illiteracy percentage.

Moreover, poverty is described as one of the main obstacles facing Arab women advancement.

Apart from booklets, media means could play a major role in "conveying" the message of enlightening women on their rights.

The report, said Farid, is "a good start for what is coming in terms of awareness among women of the international Humanitarian law. "