International Women’s Day 2026 Statement: RAF Warns of Increased Risks for Women and Girls Amid Escalating Crisis in the Middle East

On this Women’s Day 2026, the Regional Action Forum to End Child Marriage in Arab States (RAF) expresses deep concern over the escalating tensions across the Middle East and their disproportionate impact on women and girls across the region. 

As displacement rises and essential services are disrupted, women and girls face heightened risks of gender-based violence (GBV), exploitation, and harmful practices including child marriage. Recent United Nations assessments warn that overcrowded shelters, lack of privacy, and restricted access to sexual and reproductive health services are significantly increasing protection risks for women and adolescent girls in affected communities.

Evidence from across the region shows that conflict and economic hardship are powerful drivers of child marriage, as families struggling to cope with insecurity and poverty may resort to harmful coping mechanisms. Children living in conflict-affected settings face increased exposure to violence, abuse, and early marriage when education systems collapse and protection services are disrupted. Escalating hostilities further constrain women’s safety and access to services while increasing the risk of gender-based violence and weakening already fragile protection systems.

At this critical moment, governments, humanitarian actors, and donors must act urgently to safeguard the rights and well-being of women and girls. The Regional Action Forum calls for:

(1) Prioritizing protection services for women and girls, including safe spaces and GBV prevention; 

(2) Ensuring continued access to education for girls as a proven safeguard against child marriage; 

(3) Expanding sexual and reproductive health services, including dignity kits and maternal care for displaced women and girls; 

(4) Strengthening legal protections and community engagement to prevent child marriage and other harmful practices during crises; and

(5) Investing in locally-led collective advocacy platforms and coordination spaces focused on child marriage prevention and response in the region.

Protecting girls’ rights during conflict is essential to preserving their safety, dignity, and future. We must collectively act now to ensure that the current escalation does not reverse hard-won progress for girls across the Middle East and North Africa region.