Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Refugees and Internally Displaced Women as cornerstone of respect for human rights

OBJECTIVES

Main objective:

 To formulate recommendations for the Belgian Development Cooperation aimed at reinforcing its contributions to national and international fora, both in its direct and indirect cooperation programmes, concerning the promotion and the protection of the sexual and reproductive health rights of refugee and internally displaced women.

Specific objectives:

To analyze international legal standards and policies regarding sexual and reproductive health of refugee and internally displaced women, including the issue of sexual violence.

To make an inventory of existing guidelines, tools and other initiative concerning sexual and reproductive health of refugee and internally displaced women, including the issue of sexual violence.

To develop policy recommendation regarding 1) the promotion of the sexual and reproductive health rights of refugee and internally displaced women; 2) the improvement of sexual and reproductive health services for refugee and internally displaced women; 2) the prevention and sanctioning of sexual violence against refugee and internally displaced women.

METHODS

Phase 1: desk-study and literature review, inventory, networking, formulation of preliminary recommendations.
Phase 2: development of a checklist for a comprehensive approach to sexual and reproductive health of refugee and internally displaced women, field-study, organization of international expert meeting, networking.

ACTIVITIES

    Literature review and analysis of international policies and legal standards.
    Inventory of existing guidelines and tools.
    Networking, organization of international expert meeting.
    Development of a checklist.
    Field-study in the West Bank & the Gaza.
    Formulation of recommendations.

RESULTS

Literature review report.
Field-study report.
Proceedings expert meeting.
Bosmans M, Temmerman M. Towards a Comprehensive Approach of Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Needs of Women Displaced by War and Armed Conflict. A Practical Guide for Programme Officers. ICRH Ghent University, 2003.