From Bosnia to Rwanda, from Tajikistan to Liberia, women have fled and continue to flee war and repression, often leaving behind fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers who are fighting or who are in jails or in cemeteries. Refugee women are vulnerable to violence at every stage of their flight. Sexual violence, including rape, is one of the most terrible dangers confronting refugee women. These women are often single-handedly responsible for the survival of their children even when their own survival is at stake. Protection Policies to protect and assist refugee women and the implementation of programs which incorporate these policies are major priorities in U.S. refugee policy.
Women share the protection problems experienced by all refugees.
The United States has long been a leading advocate for focusing attention on the special needs of refugee women. The United States has provided funding for many programs designed to improve the protection of women refugees. One of these is the Bosnian Women's Initiative that was announced by President Clinton in June 1996. This initiative promotes the reintegration of women into the Bosnia's economy through training programs, legal assistance, and support for microenterprise projects. The United States presses the organizations it funds to assist refugees and conflict victims to ensure that their programs of direct assistance or those which promote self-sufficiency among refugees are accessible to women.