Sudan says economic sanctions negatively affect situation of women

May 13, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations special rapporteur, Rashida Manjoo, discussed the situation of women in the country with the state minister at Sudan’s foreign ministry, Kamal Ismail on Wednesday.

Manjoo, who arrived in Sudan for a thirteen-day visit from 13 to 24 May, is the first independent expert charged by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to monitor, report and advise on the situation of women and violence around the world to visit the country since 2005.

Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Ali al-Sadiq, said that Ismail briefed the UN expert on women rights in the country, stressing that Sudan is considered among the best countries in the region and the world in terms of commitment to laws and legislation pertaining to women’s rights.

According to al-Sadiq, the minister underscored that his government is making every possible effort to enable international groups operating in this field to carry out their role, pointing to the need for those groups to report realities of the situation with full integrity and impartiality.

He also noted that woman is among the most affected segments of the society by the unjust sanctions imposed on Sudan, calling on international groups to seek to lift those sanctions which have negative impact on women rights and her social role.

Sudan is on the United States list of countries supporting terrorism since 1993 and also subjected to economic sanctions since 1997.

Manjoo, for her part, said that her visit to Sudan aims to identify the situation of women rights in all spheres, pointing that violence against women is a growing international phenomenon.

She added that colonisation was among the reasons behind the emergence of the violence against women because of its negative impact on culture and identity of the colonised peoples.

The UN expert said in a statement Monday that she will meet with those involved in fighting violence against women in the country to assess the situation in conflict and non-conflict areas, including violence against refugee and internally displaced women.

“Violence against women is a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and it continues to be one of the most pervasive human rights violations globally, affecting every country in the world,” Manjoo said.

The special rapporteur will meet with Sudanese authorities, civil society groups and other parties in Khartoum, Darfur, including El Fasher, Thabit, El Geneina and Nyala, as well as in the North and South Kordofan.

“I intend to look into the problem of violence against women, its causes and consequences holistically, taking into account all relevant issues affecting women and violence,” she further said.
Manjoo will also visit shelters, detention centers and camps for internally displaced persons, and she will meet with individual victims of gender-based violence.

Based on the information obtained during the visit, Manjoo’s successor –who will assume office on 1st August 2015, will present a report with final findings and recommendations to the UNHRC in 2016.

(ST)