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Gender-Based Violence in the Context of the Ukraine Crisis - Romania Assessment [EN/RO] - Romania
Countries: Romania, Ukraine
Source: VOICE
Please refer to the attached files.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Russian war against Ukraine continues to have a significant impact on neighboring countries, including Romania. As a result, Romania is in an unprecedented situation, having sheltered the largest number of refugees - over 3 million - in the country’s history. While many refugees have since left Romania, recent data show 137,384 Ukrainians and 1,320 third-country nationals have obtained temporary protection on Romanian territory. Approximately 80% of the Ukrainian refugees in Romania are women and children. The country has proven resilient and provided refugees from Ukraine with emergency humanitarian aid and longer-term support to foster their social and economic integration. Along with the refugee crisis, Romania is also facing an economic crisis, experiencing the highest inflation rate in the last three decades.
This is the second assessment undertaken by VOICE looking at the safety, protection, and well-being needs of Ukrainian women refugees living in Romania. It is a continuation of VOICE’s and HIAS’s efforts to draw attention to and address the gender-based violence (GBV) related situation of women and girls in the context of the Ukrainian crisis response. A rapid assessment in a dynamic environment, the first assessment, undertaken in the summer of 2022, focused on three issues: 1. the GBV situation and risks of refugee women during displacement, including at border crossing points; 2. the situation in temporary accommodation centers, and 3. funding needs of women’s civil society organizations supporting refugee women. This second assessment sought to obtain a deeper understanding of the situation and needs of displaced Ukrainian women and other groups of women living in Romania. During the initial phase of response to the refugee crisis, beginning in February 2022, the priority was to ensure the safety of people fleeing Ukraine and provide refugees with safe accommodation and humanitarian assistance to meet their needs. This assessment focused on the situation for these women one year on, in particular the GBV-related safety situation of refugee women and vulnerable host community women in Romania. It focused on the intersection of GBV and economic and psychosocial needs to inform HIAS and VOICE multi-sectoral programming and continued support to Romanian partners to promote women’s safety, protection, and well-being.
The assessment was carried out during March and April 2023 in six localities, including four urban settings of Braila, Constanta, Bucharest, and Galati, and two rural communities of Curcani (Calarasi County) and Romanesti villages (Dambovita County), each located approximately 40 km from Bucharest. The urban localities were selected as they are considered home to the largest number of refugees fleeing Ukraine. The rural areas were chosen to provide an understanding of the safety and socioeconomic situation of Ukrainian refugees and other vulnerable women living outside urban areas, including Romanian Roma women. In total, 145 women, including Ukrainian, Syrian, Somali, and Yemeni women refugees and Romanian Roma women, participated in the assessment, as well as 22 representatives from civil society and government agencies supporting refugees and other vulnerable women.
