Women belonging to minorities often find themselves marginalized and face exclusion within their own communities and in the wider society alike. They have limited opportunities for education and for political participation and lack a political voice, decent work and income-generating opportunities, social and financial capital, and basic social services. Women are also frequently discriminated against with regard to ownership and inheritance of property—an area where minorities and indigenous peoples already face discrimination. In armed conflicts, the vulnerability of women to exploitation and abuse is greatly increased and women belonging to minorities are often severely affected. As caregivers and often with primary responsibility for children, women are often less able to flee conflict zones. Women may become the victims of rape and sexual assault used as a “weapon” in conflict. If the men are killed or forced to flee, women may face additional challenges with regard to their homes and property rights. A gender perspective is therefore of particular relevance when addressing the situation of minorities in a given country, including in their own communities. However, given the gender stereotypes within cultural patterns that are often resistant to social change, this may not be easy. Below, a practical checklist is proposed with issues relevant to women belonging to minorities: • Access by women belonging to minorities to specific social services, including education in their own language, culturally sensitive health care and childcare facilities; • The social and economic conditions of women belonging to minorities and their relation to exploitation and abuse, including trafficking; • How does poverty affect women and men differently within the minority community and society at large; • The situation of women belonging to minorities vis-à-vis matrimonial property rights and the tenure of land and property in general; • Access to employment and income-generating activities, including equal access to human and financial resources, such as capital, credit, land, information and technology, training and skills development, market and saving opportunities, and social networks; • Women’s level of participation in decision-making, including in local development plans and poverty-reduction strategies; • Non-discrimination in relation to the acquisition, change and retention of nationality by women and transmittal of their nationality to their children, and the impact on the lives of women and children belonging to minorities; 37