Sudan’s conflict takes devastating toll on children, sexual violence rife – rights group

February 18, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s ongoing conflict has unleashed a wave of violence against children, with sexual assault, abduction and killing becoming increasingly common, the SIHA Network, a women’s rights group in the Horn of Africa, said on Tuesday.

In a statement, SIHA highlighted a “devastating rise” in conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) since the war erupted on April 15, 2023, with girls disproportionately targeted. The group’s documentation shows 23.15% of CRSV cases involve girls, though it believes many more cases, including those against boys, go unreported.

“Children in Sudan are subjected to unbearable horrors, with their bodies and lives violated in a total absence of protection,” SIHA said. “Girls, in particular, suffer fatal physical injuries, such as severe bleeding and life-threatening infections. In the absence of healthcare, many die in silence, while survivors are left to endure deep psychological and physical scars.”

SIHA detailed several recent incidents, including the killing of a father and the subsequent abduction and rape of his two daughters in Al Jazirah state by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). One of the daughters died from her injuries. The group also reported cases of girls as young as six being held in detention and forced to serve RSF members, and the rape of a teacher’s wife and daughters in Central Darfur. In South Kordofan, children have been abducted and raped, SIHA said.

The group called on the international community, national institutions and Sudanese civil society to establish an interim protection system for children, advocate for their rights, and expose perpetrators to justice and accountability. It urged the United Nations and donors to increase resources for child protection, including psychological and healthcare services, particularly for unaccompanied children and those subjected to violence.

SIHA also highlighted a gap in support for boys, who are vulnerable to recruitment as child soldiers and other forms of violence. “The challenges affecting children should always be at the core of peace and justice efforts,” SIHA said. “Ignoring them paves the way for a broken generation and sets the stage for future war and instability.”