A/71/254 Discrimination against Women (see CEDAW/C/GC/30, para. 36), during and after conflict specific groups of women, including, inter alia, internally displaced and refugee women, women of diverse caste, ethnic, national or religious identities, or of other minorities, are at a particular risk of violence, especially sexual violence. These groups of women “are often attacked as symbolic representatives of their community”. The Committee has further noted that stateless women and girls face heightened risk of abuse during conflict, owing to, among other factors, their minority status (ibid, para. 60). Minority women may be particularly at risk of sexual and gender-based violence and other forms of violence, including slavery and trafficking. The Special Rapporteur was deeply troubled and saddened when she listened to the testimonies of Yezidi women in Iraq of sexual and gender -based violence committed against them by Daesh, which acts must be fully investigated and their perpetrators prosecuted. 31 77. Furthermore, during conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies, sexual and reproductive health needs are easily overlooked: This may be particularly compounded for minority women who may be less able to access already limited humanitarian services during crises, for many of the rea sons noted above. 32 78. Minority women also face specific obstacles in terms of accessing and protecting their rights to land and property during crises. Where they are not entitled to own, inherit, or rent, women, and in particular minority women may find it impossible to find safe housing. They may also be unable to enforce their inheritance rights or claim jointly owned or matrimonial assets, especially if they mislay their marriage documents, or these have been destroyed or never existed, which may particularly affect minority women who are married under traditional or customary law not recognized by the State. H. Minorities and disasters brought about by natural or man-made hazards 79. Evidence indicates that minority communities may be more vulnera ble to disasters, both natural and human-made, insofar as they may be both inadequately prepared for such emergencies, and disproportionately affected by them. Furthermore, experience has demonstrated that minority communities are also less likely to be equal beneficiaries of adequate humanitarian aid and/or rehabilitation when or after disasters strike. 1. Vulnerability to disasters 80. The reasons for the differentiated experience of minorities in the context of disasters are multiple. In terms of increased vulnerabilities, the Special Rapporteur notes that this may be due to the fact that disadvantaged minorities may reside in remote and marginal areas that are more susceptible to disasters, or have fewer __________________ 31 32 20/25 See Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, Special Rapporteur on minority issues, statement on conclusion of her official visit to Iraq, 27 February to 7 March 2016, available from www.ohchr.org/EN/ NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=17157&LangID=E. Paola Salwan Daher, Global Advocacy Adviser of the Centre for Reproductive Rights, oral statement at the seventh session of the Forum on Minority Issues, Geneva, November 2014. Available from www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/MinorityIssues/Sessio n7/ item6/Participants/Center%20for%20Reproductive%20Rights.pdf. 16-13193