Amid escalating military tensions in the Middle East and mounting concerns over the humanitarian consequences of the conflict, UN Women has issued a warning about the serious risks facing civilians, particularly women and girls.
In its statement on March 3, 2026, the United Nations entity stated that it is deeply alarmed by the military strikes against Iran and the subsequent escalation of tensions across the Middle East, a situation that, according to the organization, places civilian populations, including women and girls, at immediate risk.
“Women and girls everywhere have the right to live in safety and in peace, free from violence and discrimination. Escalating hostilities disrupt essential services, increase the risk of gender-based violence, and further constrain and endanger women-led organizations and first responders.”
Meanwhile, UN experts in Geneva also expressed profound sorrow in a statement released on Thursday, March 6, 2026, following an attack on a girls’ primary school in the city of Minab, in Iran’s Hormozgan Province. The attack reportedly occurred during military operations carried out by the United States and Israel on February 28, 2026.
According to available reports, at least 165 schoolgirls were killed and many others injured in the strike. UN experts described the incident as a shocking illustration of the deadly impact of armed conflict on civilians, especially children and students, and called for urgent international attention to the protection of civilians.
In their statement, the UN experts noted: “The reported destruction of a school and the killing of girls in a classroom is among the most flagrant examples of how conflict can steal girls’ futures in an instant, extinguishing not only young lives, but also the hopes, agency, and opportunities education makes possible.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, wrote on X: “On International Women’s Day, I think of the women and girls of Iran who should be here. Those killed in a missile strike on a girls’ primary school. Those detained, missing, or dead in connection with the nationwide protests. Their stories need to be remembered.”
