This briefing paper analyzes existing legal standards and principles relevant to protecting the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls affected by conflict. It provides an overview of reproductive rights violations often experienced by women and girls in these settings, including increased maternal mortality, lack of access to contraception, lack of access to safe abortion, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and concomitant state obligations to address these violations. It focuses on international human rights law and international humanitarian law but also provides brief analyses of other relevant legal regimes as well as key human rights principles relevant to humanitarian actors and other stakeholders. This briefing paper is intended to be a resource for advocates, humanitarian agencies and aid workers, service providers, policy-makers, and other key stakeholders working on the health and rights of women and girls affected by conflict to ensure that policies and programs reflect and prioritize human rights obligations and principles.
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