from ADANE BIKILA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ADDIS ABABA, (CAJ News) – WOMEN and girls have allegedly been raped while they sleep whereas the females also report trading sex for resources at makeshift refugee camps in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
These are among findings by a non-governmental organisation as the civil war in the northern region persists.
CARE, the Non-governmental organisations (NGO), that carried out the research, established that gender-based violence was high, with multiple contributing factors.
Women and girls has been victims of multiple rapes and sexual violence when the conflict broke, as they fled the conflict and after they reached the safety of the camps.
High rates of sexual and other violence have been reported as the females are outside of the camps searching for firewood or water.
They reportedly trade sex for items in short supply, such as food.
Women and girls reportedly experience rape while they sleep, due to the collective and overcrowded living and sleeping arrangement.
“Women report having nowhere to go after they experience violence,” CARE stated.
The research was conducted at sites for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Debark and Maytsebri.
Shelter has emerged as one of the highest priority needs.
Malnutrition and food security were already high in the region, especially after the locust infestation and COVID19 pandemic.
The conflict began in November 2020 when the regional government rebelled against the national administration.
Thousands of people have died and over 417 000 displaced.
More than 4,5 million people in Tigray need humanitarian assistance.
– CAJ News