Background:

• According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), by the end of 2023, 11.73 crore people, worldwide, had been forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order.  Among them, 3.76 crore were refugees. 
• Armed conflict, violence, human rights abuses, and persecution compel millions across the world to flee their homes and homelands for survival, and become ‘displaced people’ in the process. 
• With the Israel-Hamas war having escalated since then, the Ukraine-Russia war continuing, and Rohingyas facing fresh threats in Myanmar, the number of refugees worldwide is only expected to multiply significantly. 
• As of January 31, 2022, 46,000 refugees and asylum-seekers were registered with UNHCR India. 46% of this population is women and girls, a disproportionately burdened and vulnerable group. 
• The United Nations Population Fund has acknowledged that “the face of displacement is female”. The gendered nature of displacement impacts women’s physical and mental health as well as their well-being.

Problems faced by Women Refugees:

• Gender-based violence: Women face heightened risks of physical, sexual, and gender-based violence, including practices like transactional sex, which are forced upon them due to the conflict situation.
• Mental health issues: Displaced women are disproportionately affected by psychological conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD), anxiety, and depression, especially due to traumatic experiences and living conditions in refugee camps.
  • Displaced women are twice as likely to exhibit symptoms of PTSD and over four times as likely to exhibit depression, as compared to their male counterparts. 
  • A study in Darfur, Sudan showed that 72% of displaced women were affected with conditions such as PTSD and general distress due to traumatic events and living conditions in camps
• Lack of access to healthcare: Refugee women often face limited access to both physical and mental healthcare, worsened by financial constraints, discrimination, and stigma.
• Social isolation and stigma: Patriarchal norms, stigma surrounding mental health, and the absence of support systems often isolate refugee women, limiting their participation in community life.
• Burden of caregiving: Women are often solely responsible for their children, the elderly, and their families’ sustenance, adding to their stress and limiting their ability to seek help.
• Legal and administrative barriers: Refugee women may be excluded from accessing healthcare and other services because they are not citizens, limiting their ability to exercise their rights.
• Language and communication barriers: Refugees often face difficulties accessing information or services due to language differences and lack of awareness about available support.
• Psychosocial disability support gaps: Refugee women with mental health issues rarely receive the support needed due to insufficient policies, data collection, and mental health services tailored to them.

Way forward:

• India is neither a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, nor does it have any specific domestic legislation pertaining to refugees, let alone refugees with disabilities. 
• Given the vast refugee population in the country, it is imperative to establish a uniform, codified framework that provides adequate language for implementing India’s international commitments. 
• This is also necessitated by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which emphasises empowering vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities and refugees.