A Situation Analysis of the Women Survivors of the 1989-2003 Armed Conflict in Liberia


Date: May 6, 2013
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According to the results of this report, 63% of the women were found to have suffered some form of sexual torture experiences also reported. These included single episode rape, gang rape, sexual comforting, attempted rape, forced marriage, abduction with sex, defilement, forced insertion of objects in the vagina and forced widow inheritance amongst others. These experiences are not only shocking but they also remain stack reminders of the evils of armed conflict and its devastating effects on the lives of women.

This report also describes the medical and mental health consequences of armed conflict. Indeed, it reports that 69% of the women interviewed during this study reported a gynaecological complaint. In the case of medical problems that were documented as a result of the conflict, 43% of the 643 respondents interviewed for this study had clinically significant mental health problems, 12% were addicted to alcohol, 15% had attempted suicide and 61% had a surgical complaint.

This report once again goes to show the immense task before us to deal with the medical and mental health consequences of armed conflict and more specifically the sexual and gender-based violence, which is still rampant in our community. This will require the commitment and involvement of not only the government of Liberia and its people, but also the support of our international partners. It also brings to the limelight the issues of human security especially the practical and strategic needs of women, which should be at the centre of post conflict reconstruction processes and programming.


ISBN: 978-9970-574-00-1
Publisher: Isis-WICCE
Year of Publication: 2008

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