According to a growing number of reports from defectors, humanitarian organizations, and the United Nations, women and children in North Korea continue to suffer under deeply entrenched social controls, widespread poverty, and state-sponsored repression.
Sexual Violence and Exploitation
Former female prisoners and defectors have described a culture of normalized sexual violence, especially within detention facilities and prison camps. In a 2024 report by the NGO Korea Future, survivors detailed how female detainees were routinely subjected to sexual abuse by guards, with little to no recourse.
“Sexual violence is systematic and widespread,” said Elizabeth Salmón, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in North Korea. “It is used as a tool of control and punishment.”
Women attempting to flee the country face further dangers. Many are trafficked across the border into China, where they are sold into forced marriages or the sex trade. Those caught and forcibly returned face detention, forced abortions, and brutal interrogations upon reentry.
Malnutrition and Child Labor
Children in North Korea continue to bear the brunt of the country's economic collapse and chronic food shortages. Malnutrition is rampant, particularly in rural areas, where families rely on state-distributed rations that are often insufficient. The World Food Programme has warned of rising hunger and stunted growth among children under five.
In addition, forced child labor remains a concern. Schoolchildren are often mobilized to work in farms, mines, or construction projects under the guise of “patriotic education.” These labor mobilizations are not voluntary, and refusal can lead to punishment for both the child and their family.
“I had to carry logs from the age of 10,” said one defector. “There was no real school—just labor and propaganda.”
Limited Rights and Surveillance
Women and children have virtually no legal protections against abuse. North Korea’s legal system, tightly controlled by the ruling Workers’ Party, offers no independent judiciary or mechanism for redress. Surveillance is constant, and even minor criticisms of the regime can lead to imprisonment.
Girls and women are also subject to strict dress codes and behavioral restrictions, with violations punished through fines, public shaming, or detention. Access to reproductive health care is minimal, and birth control is largely unavailable outside of elite circles.
Calls for International Action
Human rights organizations continue to call on the international community to prioritize the protection of vulnerable groups within North Korea.
“The suffering of women and children is not collateral—it is deliberate,” said Lina Yoon, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “They are being targeted by policies designed to suppress and control.”
Despite mounting evidence, the North Korean government denies all allegations, calling them “fabricated lies” by defectors and hostile governments. Yet the stories emerging from those who escape tell a different tale—one of daily fear, exhaustion, and quiet resilience.
As the world focuses on nuclear diplomacy and regional security, advocates warn that the plight of North Korea’s most defenseless must not be forgotten.