A/HRC/45/CRP.7 191. There is a strong tradition of women activists and leaders at all levels of Yemeni society, playing key mediation, negotiation, protection and humanitarian roles.272In 2020, there are emerging opportunities for women’s essential participation and leadership in national ceasefire planning and oversight.273 Realising the full participation of women and girls, particularly survivors of the conflict, in peace negotiations and transitional justice processes and mechanisms, is key to achieving gender responsive peacebuilding, reconciliation and prevention of further conflict.274 2. Gender-based violence 192. Women, girls, men, boys and those with a non-conforming sexual orientation and/or gender identity are at serious risk of all forms of gender-based violence due to the conflict and normative context. Gender-based violence was widespread before the conflict due to entrenched gender norms and inequality.275 Since the advent of the war, UNFPA and service providers have documented continuous rises in survivors accessing gender-based violence services, despite the multiple barriers to reporting and increased challenges to these services. UNFPA statistics to June 2020 indicate an estimated 13 per cent increase in survivors accessing gender-based violence services in 2020 compared to 2019, and a 15 per cent increase compared to 2018.276 In one governorate in southern Yemen, statistics indicate that the increase in 2020 could be as high as 29 per cent compared to 2019, and 41 per cent compared to 2018.277 UNFPA estimates 3 million women and girls are at risk of gender-based violence, and 120,000 are at risk of being killed.278 193. Ongoing displacement is a key risk factor for all types of gender-based violence, whether in more secure host environments or informal insecure settlements. Between 2018 and 2020, the Group has received allegations of sexual violence against internally displaced persons in Hudaydah, Aden and Ibb, by perpetrators linked to different parties to the conflict, as well as camp management, host communities, and other displaced persons.279 This requires further investigation. (a) Sexual Violence by Security Belt Forces against Ethiopian Migrants 194. In 2018 and 2019, the Group of Experts found that the UAE-backed Security Belt forces had perpetrated rape and other forms of sexual violence targeting marginalised black African communities. Many of these violations occurred at the Bureiqa Migrant Detention Facility, which was closed down in May 2018.280 During this reporting period, the Group focused its investigations on allegations of sexual violence committed by Security Belt forces against Ethiopian migrants during the “anti-migrant detention campaign” of 2019. 195. Between March and June 2019, UAE-backed Security Belt forces, under the command of Major General Shallal Ali Shaye, conducted the mass arrest and detention of Ethiopian migrants in Lahij and Aden on the pretext of national security grounds. Forces arbitrary arrested and detained an estimated 5,000 migrant women, girls, men and boys in appalling conditions in ad-hoc facilities in Lahij and Aden.281 The Group has already expressed its concerns about the situation of the migrants detained in Lahij and Aden.282 The http://www.yemenpolling.org/gendered-security-gender-based-violence-and-womens-access-to-stateand-non-state-security-provision-in-al-dhali/ 272 See A/HRC/42/CRP.1 Chapter VII, paras. 650-654 and 659-661. 273 Rana Ghanem, UN Women and the Group of Nine Network 2020 Policy Paper: Women in the Security Sector and the Military, and the Potential Role in the Ceasefire and Peace Process. 274 See, for instance, WILPF and others, Changes ahead: Yemeni women map the road to peace, p. 23-24, available at: https://www.wilpf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/WILPF_Yemen-Publication_web.pdf 275 Confidential sources on file. See also Oxfam-CARE-GenCap Study 2016. 276 See UNFPA GBV IMS Data 2018-2020 277 Confidential sources on file. 278 UNFPA 2019 and 2020; OCHA 2020. 279 Confidential sources on file. 280 See A/HRC/42/CRP.1, para. 837. 281 See A/HRC/42/CRP.1, para. 290. 282 See A/HRC/42/CRP.1, para. 837. 53