a) Poverty: when families are pushed into poverty, harmful practices like child marriages increase. Young girls may be pulled out of education for marriage, to help with domestic tasks or to generate an income. Unemployment and economic distress in the household can increase instances of IPV as well.

b) Breakdown of Services: A collapse of community structure and the rule of law means women can find themselves without social support and protection systems in violent situations. It can also result in women and girls traveling great distances in search of food, water or fuel, further increasing risk of sexual harassment and assault.

c) Conflict and War: Rising numbers of conflicts in East Africa are driving an increase in conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). Without the rule of law, CRSV is often carried out with impunity. Armed forces may use rape as a weapon of war. Other forms of CRSV include sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, enforced sterilization, forced marriage and other forms of sexual violence.

d) Displacement: Women living in refugee camps and other temporary accommodation can face safety issues that put them at greater risk. This can include having no locks on bathroom doors, joint male and female facilities and inadequate lighting. Women living as refugees may have to find new livelihoods, which can lead to an increased risk of exploitation. Displaced women and girls in emergencies are often less visible. They’re not always included in national surveys or reports, which means their needs go unmet.

e) Stress in the home: Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence women experience in humanitarian settings. IPV and child maltreatment and abuse occur more frequently when families experience an inability to meet their basic needs, alcohol and substance abuse and inconsistent income.