A United Nations agency says women and girls are at greater risk of sexual abuse following the violence triggered by last month’s disputed presidential poll.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has raised an alarm over the escalating cases of rape and related sexual abuses against displaced women. According to UNDP administrator Mr. Kemal Dervis, women are just caught in the crossfire but are I the battle field having been targeted for rape and sexual abuse.

Mr. Dervis said the global community should recognise the problem for what it is- an affront to basic human rights and dignity. On Wednesday Mr. Dervis also said hospitals and other health organisations were overstretched due to the raising number of rape victims adding that some hospitals recorded cases way above the normal number soon after violence erupted.

Medical personnel, he said, have noted that for each new case they are treating, there are many who fail to seek help either because of security reasons or the fear of stigmatization. Although a continued war has always been waged against sexual assault on women, Dervis warned that it has now reached epidermic levels. He added that the UN was working to ensure that women are protected and rape victims helped.

Last week, the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) criticized the government for neglecting assaulted women.