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Prioritising protection and inclusion of conflict-affected displaced women and girls in Muslim-majority contexts

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Executive Summary

• The number of conflict- and climate-induced displaced people has reached unprecedented levels, with the majority generated by and hosted in Muslim-majority countries.

• The scale of feminised displacement emergencies (where the majority of those displaced are women and children) and the continuum of violence have not been matched by appropriate resources and political will to protect displaced women’s rights.

• To manage the escalating forced migration flows, it is necessary to shift from the Eurocentric refugee management model to understanding and further involving Global South actors – such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – in the global refugee governance system.

• The OIC is the world’s second-largest intergovernmental body but despite its multiple policy commitments to and organisational initiatives for displaced populations lacks a refugee support mechanism and integrated framework of response to displacement.

• Cross-cultural and faith-sensitive models of cooperation in the international system and humanitarian policy are needed in order to advance innovative solutions for women in displacement, thereby contributing to SDG 5 ‘Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment’ and SDG 16 ‘Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

About the Author

Dr Sandra Pertek, University of Birmingham, Research Project Leader ‘Protection of Forcibly Displaced Women and Girls in the Muslim world’. Email: s.m.pertek.1@bham.ac.uk Project website: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/ social-policy/departments/social-policy-sociologycriminology/research/projects/2023/protecting-forciblydisplaced-women-and-girls-in-the-muslim-world Acknowledgments: Thanks to Amjad Saleem and Salma Moustafa Khalil for comments on this briefing