Fifteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Humanitarian aid workers perpetrate sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against refugees, yet aid agencies still have broad, poorly implemented protocol in place that does not support refugees in these situations. In this paper, the lack of effective systems that hold aid workers accountable for perpetrating SGBV is related back to the colonial roots of humanitarian aid. Dismantling systems that thrive off the exploitation of refugee communities begins with making the connection between SGBV and colonization. Throughout history, there are examples of the connection between colonization, political conflict, wars, and sexual violence, and these connections should be applied to the discourse surrounding SGBV in humanitarian situations. Challenging the humanitarian system as it relates to SGBV in refugee camps begins with questioning its representation of refugees. This study challenges the generalization of refugees by understanding the historical context and political motives of entities that disseminate knowledge regarding refugee affairs. An exploration of the historical, socio-political, and cultural dynamics of the term refugee illuminates the many contradictions within the term refugee itself. The coloniality of contemporary refugee regime and media portrayal of the “refugee crisis” can in part be understood in relation to international refugee law, thus in this paper legal definitions of “refugee” are explored. This paper also focuses specifically on refugee camp settings and examines who has authority within this space. This includes an exploration of refugee camp conditions and the power dynamics between aid workers and refugees.