The UN Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in Sudan on Thursday expressed concerns over the rise in conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan.
According to the team, reports from Khartoum and Al Jazira showed that an increasing number of girls and women were abducted and subjected to rape, sexual capacity, and forced marriage. The HCT stated that food insecurity and water scarcity contributed to sexual exploitation and that the number of individuals who sought gender-based violence case management services rose by 288 percent in the first seven months of this year. In addition, the team stated that an increasing number of boys and men were subjected to sexual violence.
The HCT said that the use of sexual violence as a war weapon breached human rights and international humanitarian law. The team urged all parties to the conflict to cease violent acts and conform to their legal obligations under international humanitarian law. The team also called on Sudan authorities “to take immediate action to safeguard the lives, dignity, and well-being of women, girls, men and boys, sexual violence survivors, and female humanitarian workers.”
The UN issued a dire warning on September 8 about the worsening crisis in Sudan, emphasizing the devastating impact of ongoing conflict and the inadequate international response. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that over 20,000 people have died since the conflict began in April 2023.
The conflict, a struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has created the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. Over 10 million people have been displaced from their homes in Sudan, including two million who are seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The conflict has ravaged Sudan’s infrastructure and health system, leaving 70 to 80 percent of the country’s healthcare facilities non-operational. Over 25 million people—more than half of Sudan’s population—are facing acute food insecurity.
On July 28, Human Rights Watch revealed an extensive report on sexual violence perpetrated by the RSF in Khartoum. The report highlighted that under international law, acts such as rape, forced marriage, or forced pregnancies constitute torture or war crimes and may also be considered crimes against humanity if committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack on a civilian population. The report also noted that international humanitarian law stipulates that access to healthcare and healthcare facilities must be protected in wartime.
