By ifeoma Onyekachi

UN Women has raised alarm over the worsening humanitarian impact of recent military escalations across the Middle East, warning that women and girls are bearing a disproportionate burden of the conflict.

In a statement issued on Friday, the agency echoed the position of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who welcomed a two-week ceasefire announcement involving the United States and Iran, while also expressing concern over continued Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon.

UN Women reiterated its call for a sustained peace process that guarantees the safety, rights, and dignity of women and girls across the region.

The agency said the escalation has already resulted in significant civilian harm. It cited reports that on February 28, 2026 — the first day of intensified hostilities — 168 girls were killed when a strike hit a primary school in Minab, Iran. Since then, it added, hundreds more women and girls have reportedly died across affected areas.

According to the statement, 204 women have been killed in Iran, while in Lebanon at least 102 women were reported killed prior to heavy bombardment on April 8. UN Women also noted reported casualties among women and girls in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, the occupied Palestinian territory, and the United Arab Emirates.

The agency warned that the conflict has triggered large-scale displacement, forcing millions of women and girls from their homes. It estimated that up to 1.6 million people have been displaced in Iran and about 620,000 in Lebanon.

It said displacement has significantly increased protection risks, leaving women and girls exposed to overcrowded and unsafe living conditions, while also limiting access to healthcare, protection services, and livelihoods.

UN Women further highlighted the destruction of civilian infrastructure, warning that it has severely restricted access to clean water, safe shelter, and essential services.

Even before the escalation, it noted, humanitarian conditions were already fragile, with an estimated 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza and 70,000 in Lebanon requiring maternal healthcare, many of whom face barriers to accessing treatment. Damage to hospitals and health systems, it warned, is expected to further undermine life-saving services.

The agency also drew attention to the growing pressures on women’s rights organisations, which it said play a critical role in humanitarian response and peacebuilding efforts. These groups, it said, are operating under shrinking civic space, heightened security threats, and severe funding shortages.

“Women human rights defenders have reportedly faced intimidation, arbitrary arrest, detention, and, in some cases, lethal violence,” the statement added.

UN Women said it is scaling up operations across the Middle East, providing protection services, livelihood support, and coordination, while ensuring that women’s voices are included in response and recovery efforts.

It called for urgent de-escalation, protection of civilians, unrestricted humanitarian access, and gender-responsive interventions, stressing that the temporary ceasefire should serve as a foundation for a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.