Gender-based violence and associated factors among internally displaced and refugee women in Africa: A scoping review

Background: Although Africa has a large population of displaced women, there is no current review of literature on gender-based violence (GBV) among this population. This scoping review study aimed to map the literature on GBV among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) living in refugee and IDP camps in Africa in the years 2019 to 2024. Method: A literature search was conducted for full-text peer-reviewed original research articles published in English, which included women of reproductive age in refugee and internally displaced camps over five years. Results: The prevalence of GBV ranged from 4.7% to 85.8%. Perpetrators of GBV and reporting of GBV were mostly (63.3%) from the host communities in Nigeria. The associated factors of GBV include individual-level factors, community factors, and lack of social support and social protection. Discussion: Although the scope was limited by a few databases, this review provides current evidence and a summary of GBV in Africa. Conclusion: Although mostly high, there was variation in the prevalence of GBV in many African countries. There may be a need for educational intervention to mitigate GBV in Africa. More longitudinal and experimental research is recommended for causal inferences on GBV and displaced women in Africa.