Girls from Zaatari Camp speaking out against conflict-related violence

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, which takes place yearly on the 19th of June. This year, the celebration will be under the global theme “Building Back Better”, UNFPA Jordan in collaboration with the Institute for Family Health conducted an activity with 12 adolescent girls and young women from Zaatari Camp to speak out against conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) through arts.

The activity included two sessions: In the first day, UNFPA Jordan facilitated an awareness-raising session on forms of gender-based violence (GBV) and conflict-related sexual violence and their impact on women and girls specifically, but also on the society as a whole. The girls shared their reflections on the topic saying that in Zaatari, the most prevalent forms of violence and discriminations against girls from their perspective; based on what they see and encounter are as follows: denial of education, child marriage and depriving married women and girls from their dawry and also from inheritance. Maha, a 15-year-old Syrian adolescent girl from Zaatari Camp highlighted: 

“This has been decreased a bit because of the different community awareness raising efforts by different organizations in the camp; especially on gender-based violence topics. Now, the majority understands its meaning and the different services provided on that regard.” which was also agreed by the participants who attended the session, and who highlighted their role as girls to stand against all forms of violence against girls in the camp.

Girls found the term “conflict-related sexual violence” new to them, especially when UNFPA Jordan facilitator highlighted its different forms, such as: rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization and more. Rasha, 16, during the discussion on CRSV expressed, “I can't imagine the feeling of a girl who has been subjected to any form of CRSV!”

From this entry, girls decided to express their thoughts and feelings on CRSV through different forms of art, such as drawings:.

and also by writing a poem to stand in solidarity with survivors of CRSV and to support in amplifying their voices.

UNFPA Jordan shared these products on its various social media platforms starting from the 19th of June; the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict until the 24th of June, and called everyone to stand in solidarity with survivors of CRSV while advocating for the need to put our efforts together, in order to combat all forms of violence against everyone once and for all.