Gender-based Violence Against Female Refugees In Eritrean Refugee Camps In Case Of Mai Ayni Refugee Camp Northern Ethiopia.

Gender-based violence prevents female‟s enjoyment of fundamental human rights and it is alsorncentral social, economic and health problem. Similarly, gender-based violence is viewed as arnsignificant problem in refugee camps throughout the world. However, in Ethiopia studies onrngender based violence against female refugees are limited. Most researches in this area werernconducted in line with other problems of refugees. Yet, in order to assess comprehensively itrnneeds specific study. Thus, the main objective of the study was to examine the prevalence, causernand consequences of gender based violence against female refugees in Mai Ayni refugee camp.rnIn order to achieve these objectives, qualitative methods of data collection have been employed.rnHence, data were collected from in-depth interview with eighteen female refugees and five malernrefugees, focus group discussion with male and female refugees, key informant interviews withrnconcerned bodies as well as document analysis and personal observation were used. The studyrnhas found that female refugees in the camp were exposed to sexual violence, physical violencernand socio-economic violence including; attempt rape, physical injuries, rape, discrimination andrnstigmatization, gang rape, and denial of access to services. The study also disclosed that malernrefugees and intimate partners of female refugees were the prime gender based violencernperpetrators of female refugees in Mai Ayni refugee camp. Moreover, the study revealed thatrnforced idleness, economic dependency, physical insecurity, lack of awareness, collapse of social and family structure as well as poor reporting, coordination and legal enforcement mechanismsrnwere identified as causes/risk factors for gender based violence against female refugees in MairnAyni refugee camp. Moreover, men‟s feeling of „loss of power‟ in the camp, which challengesrnmale‟s identity as superior to female, led male refugees to anger and makes female refugeesrnvulnerable to different forms of gender based violence. Consequently, because of gender basedrnviolence, female refugees in the camp have short and long lasting damaging consequence onrntheir life in terms of health, physical and psycho-social.

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