Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Wars are increasingly fought in populated neighborhoods, leading to significant civilian casualties and the destruction of homes, schools, and hospitals. Women and girls bear a disproportionate burden, often facing displacement, loss of education and healthcare, and greater exposure to sexual violence and poverty, according to a United Nations (UN) report on modern conflicts.
The UN reported that in 2025, about 37,000 civilians were killed across 20 armed conflicts, with women comprising nearly one in five victims. In Gaza, by December 2025, 38,000 women and girls had died amid ongoing hostilities. More than 95% of infrastructure damage affected residential buildings, increasing the vulnerability of female civilians.
Cases of conflict-related sexual violence verified by the UN more than doubled in 2025, exceeding 9,300, with over 95% of survivors being women and girls. The real figures may be higher as many incidents go unreported. In Sudan’s ongoing conflict, the number of women and girls seeking support after gender-based violence nearly doubled in two years and quadrupled since the war’s onset. Attacks occur in homes and during efforts to obtain food, water, and medical care.
War-driven displacement also continues to surge, reaching over 123 million forcibly displaced people worldwide by the end of 2024 due to violence, persecution, and conflict. Women and girls fleeing these crises often face overcrowded shelters, family separations, exploitation, and repeated displacements.
Healthcare systems collapse under such conditions; in Gaza, 94% of hospitals had been damaged or destroyed by ongoing conflict, severely limiting medical care for women and the broader population.