Top UN official urges parties to tackle sexual violence in Sudan
August 1, 2023 (NEW YORK) – The United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence on Conflict (SRSG), Pramila Patten has urged all the parties to the conflict in Sudan to guarantee the immediate cessation of violence against civilians, including sexual violence and to ensure unfettered access for humanitarian service providers.
The call emerged during a meeting Patten held with Major General Abdul-Rahim Dagalo, the Deputy Commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to Tuesday.
During the meeting, Patten raised serious concerns about increasing sexual violence in Khartoum and Darfur, including cases implicating arms bearers affiliated with the RSF.
The SRSG, her office said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune, further raised the issues of targeting of medical infrastructure and personnel providing essential support to survivors of sexual violence, attacks on women’s human rights defenders and civil society organizations, abductions of women and girls, as well as reports of slave markets in Darfur.
Also stressed were the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan, the critical importance of survivors being able to safely access timely medical and psychological assistance, and the importance of meaningful engagement in ongoing peace and mediation processes.
During the meeting, the SRSG recalled that she had earlier also urged all parties to the conflict to guarantee the immediate cessation of violence against civilians, including sexual violence, and to ensure unfettered access for humanitarian service providers.
She also underlined that both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF have been listed in the annex to the Report of the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence since 2017, as parties credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence in a situation on the Security Council agenda.
Patten, however, urged the RSF to issue a formal undertaking in the form of a “unilateral communiqué” condemning conflict-related sexual violence and committing to effective measures to prevent and address any such violations with a time-bound implementation plan, as well as command orders that declare zero-tolerance for sexual violence.
Major General Dagalo acknowledged the gravity of sexual violence in the context of the armed conflict and agreed to issue the communiqué to combat these crimes.
Meanwhile, the office of the SRSG said it would continue to closely monitor the situation and to engage with both parties, the SAF and the RSF, to ensure that the categorical prohibition of sexual violence under international law is respected and enforced.
Since fighting broke out in Sudan in April, more than 3.3 million people have been displaced within the country and across borders. Prior to the crisis, however, Sudan was a home to 1.1 million refugees from South Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia.
(ST)