UN decries ‘alarming scale’ of sexual violence in Sudan conflict

June 19, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – The United Nations on Thursday decried an “alarming scale” of sexual violence in Sudan’s devastating conflict, demanding an end to the atrocities as the war enters its third year.

On the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the UN’s acting Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Kristine Hambrouck, said reports of rape, sexual slavery, and abduction of women and girls continue to emerge at a horrifying rate.

“As Sudan enters the third year of a devastating conflict, reports of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) continue to emerge at an alarming scale,” Hambrouck said in a statement from Port Sudan. “Women and girls have been disproportionately affected… Men and boys have also been subjected to sexual violence, often in silence and with limited recognition of their needs.”

The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has plunged the nation into a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Recent UN reports paint a grim picture of escalating violence, particularly in the Darfur region and around the contested city of El Fasher, where fighting has displaced hundreds of households in recent days alone.

A UN Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan warned earlier this week that the war is intensifying, with both sides accused of using heavy weaponry in populated areas and weaponizing humanitarian aid. The mission highlighted a sharp rise in sexual and gender-based violence, attributing most documented cases of rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, and forced marriage to RSF-controlled displacement camps.

Hambrouck’s statement paid tribute to the “extraordinary courage” of survivors who speak out despite fear and stigma, and praised Sudanese women-led organizations that provide critical support under perilous conditions.

“Survivors continue to call for compassionate support, to be heard without judgment, and for meaningful actions that recognize their experiences and restore their dignity,” she said.

The UN has repeatedly called for comprehensive, survivor-centred services, which Hambrouck described as “lifesaving,” helping to prevent further harm and support recovery. However, the humanitarian response is severely hampered by insecurity and bureaucratic hurdles. Earlier this month, an attack on a World Food Programme convoy in North Darfur killed five aid workers, further isolating a population on the brink of famine.

The UN and its partners say they remain committed to a survivor-centred approach and will continue to support local organizations at the forefront of the response.

“This day serves as a powerful reminder: we cannot allow sexual violence to be normalized, dismissed, or ignored,” Hambrouck stated, urging for “accountability for perpetrators and sustained cooperation across all sectors of society.”

The statement concluded with a plea for action to ensure that “no survivor is left behind.”