Wars on women means the harm that happens to women and girls during times of fighting and conflict. When countries go to war, women suffer in special ways. They face violence, lose their homes, and are often left out when leaders make peace plans. Wars on women show how fighting hurts women more than we often realize.
The Growing Problem of Wars on Women
The United Nations made a new report in 2025. This report shows that wars on women are getting worse. Right now, the world has more wars than any time since 1946. Women and girls are the ones who suffer the most from these wars on women.
The numbers are very scary. Over 676 million women now live close to dangerous fighting. This is the highest number since the 1990s. Deaths of women and children have gone up four times in just two years. Violence against women during war has jumped up by 87 percent.
A leader at the UN named Sima Bahous said that women are being killed in record numbers. Women are kept away from peace talks. Wars on women continue because leaders do not give women power or protection.
How Wars on Women Hurt Families and Communities
Wars on women destroy families and whole communities. When women are hurt or killed, children lose their mothers. Families lose the people who take care of them. Communities become weaker without women’s help and leadership.
Sexual violence is one of the worst parts of wars on women. Armies and armed groups use rape and other violence as a weapon. They do this to scare people and break communities apart. Between 2023 and 2024, reports of rape and forced marriage went up a lot.
Most of the time, the people who hurt women never get punished. This means wars on women keep happening because bad people know they can get away with it.
Why Money Goes to War Instead of Peace
In 2024, countries spent over 2.7 trillion dollars on weapons and armies. This is more money than ever before. But groups that help women in war zones got only 0.4 percent of aid money. This shows how wars on women continue because the world chooses to spend money on fighting instead of peace.
Women’s groups work hard to protect people in dangerous places. They help survivors of violence. They teach people about peace. They work to solve problems without fighting. But many of these groups are running out of money and may have to close.
When we do not fund women’s peace groups, wars on women get worse. Communities lose the help they need most.
Where Wars on Women Are Worst
Wars on women happen in many countries around the world. Some places are especially dangerous for women right now.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban took over in 2021. Since then, women have lost almost all their rights. Girls cannot go to school. Women cannot work or leave their houses freely. This is a clear example of wars on women.
In Sudan, women face terrible violence during the civil war. Rape is used as a weapon to hurt communities. Women have nowhere safe to go for help.
In Palestine, women and children make up more of the people killed in recent fighting. They cannot get food, water, or medical care easily.
In Ukraine, millions of women had to leave their homes because of war. Many women now take care of their families alone. But they are still not included when leaders talk about peace.
The Broken Promise to Women
In the year 2000, the United Nations made an important promise. They passed Resolution 1325. This resolution said that women must be part of making peace. It said women are not just victims of wars on women. Women are key to stopping wars and building peace.
Resolution 1325 promised four things. First, women must be included in peace talks. Second, women and girls must be protected from violence. Third, making women equal must be part of preventing war. Fourth, women must get equal help after wars end.
But 25 years later, this promise is broken. Wars on women continue because leaders do not keep their word.
In 2024, nine out of ten peace processes had no women negotiators at all. Only seven percent of negotiators were women. Only 14 percent of mediators were women. Violence against women keeps rising, and the people who hurt them rarely face consequences.
Over 100 countries made National Action Plans to follow Resolution 1325. But most of these plans do not have enough money. Many are not checked to see if they work. Some are just words on paper with no real action.
Why Women Must Be Part of Peace
Research shows something very important. Peace agreements that include women work better and last longer. When women help make peace, the agreements are 35 percent more likely to last for 15 years or more.
Women bring different ideas to peace talks. They talk about schools, healthcare, and fairness. They think about what whole communities need. Places where women lead recover faster after war ends.
But most peace talks still keep women out. Leaders give excuses. They say culture does not allow it. They say it is not safe. They say there is no political will. But the real reason is power. Men do not want to share power with women.
Sima Bahous said it clearly. Women do not need more promises. They need power, protection, and participation. Without these things, wars on women will never end.
The Cost of Ignoring Women’s Experiences
The world does not collect good information about wars on women. Without proper data, we cannot see the full picture of how war hurts women differently than men.
We do not know exactly how many women are killed or injured. We do not know how conflict affects women in special ways. We do not know who gets aid and who does not. We do not know what support services women actually need.
The UN is calling for a gender data revolution. This means collecting better information about women in war zones. Without data, there is no accountability. Without accountability, wars on women continue.
What Must Happen Now
The 2025 UN report calls for urgent action to stop wars on women. Here is what must happen:
First, women must be included in all political solutions to conflicts. They must have seats at the peace table. Second, more women must become leaders in security and recovery efforts. Third, people who commit violence against women must face justice and punishment. Fourth, local women’s peace groups must get long-term funding. Fifth, countries must invest in data systems to track how wars affect women.
These are not just suggestions. They are requirements to end wars on women.
Why Everyone Should Care About Wars on Women
Wars on women are not a side issue. They are central to building a peaceful and fair world. As wars increase and extremism grows, women face more threats. But women are also leading change in their communities.
Women work on ceasefire negotiations. They build climate resilience. They solve local disputes. They train young leaders. They document human rights violations. They show up and step up for peace.
But women cannot do it alone. Governments must act. International institutions must help. Media must report on wars on women. Citizens must demand change.
The Choice We Face
Twenty-five years ago, the world promised to include women in matters of war and peace. Today, that promise is almost broken. Conflict is at record highs. Violence against women is soaring. Men still lead peace processes while women are kept out of the room or buried under rubble.
This report should wake everyone up. If we want lasting peace, it must include women. If we want a safer world, we must invest in the people most committed to peace and most ignored by current systems.
Wars on women will only end when women have real power. They will only end when violence has consequences. They will only end when the world chooses peace over war and inclusion over exclusion.
Women do not just deserve a seat at the table. They have earned it through their suffering, their work, and their commitment to building a better world. The question is whether the world will finally listen.
Final Thoughts on Wars on Women
Wars on women represent one of the greatest injustices of our time. As conflicts multiply globally, women and girls pay the highest price through violence, displacement, and exclusion from decision-making. Yet history shows that when women participate in peacebuilding, communities recover faster and peace lasts longer. Ending wars on women requires immediate action, adequate funding for women’s organizations, accountability for perpetrators, and genuine inclusion of women in all peace processes. The choice is clear: invest in women’s power and participation, or watch as wars on women continue to devastate communities worldwide.
Conclusion
Understanding wars on women is essential for anyone committed to peace and justice. The evidence is clear that excluding women from peace processes perpetuates conflict and suffering. To learn more about gender equality issues and how you can support women’s rights, visit genderpedia.ng/shop for educational resources and ways to take action.
References
Wars On Women Escalate As Global Conflicts Surge – OpEd. Retrieved from
