Britain pledges £20 mln for Sudan sexual violence survivors, warns of global failure

February 4, 2026 (ADRE) – British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday pledged 20 million pounds ($25.3 million) in new funding to support survivors of sexual violence in Sudan, while condemning a “collective global failure” to protect the country’s women and girls.

Cooper, speaking from the border town of Adré, described the conflict in Sudan as the largest humanitarian catastrophe of the 21st century. She said the international community had turned its back on a war being waged “on women’s bodies” through rape, sexual slavery and abductions.

The funding will improve frontline services for survivors, including medical and psychological support, as well as efforts to address social stigma. It will also support children born of rape, the Foreign Office said.

Cooper met refugees who had fled to Chad, which hosts approximately 1.2 million people displaced by the fighting. More than 1,000 days of conflict have left 12 million people displaced across the region, with famine spreading as infrastructure collapses.

The foreign secretary warned that the Sudan crisis has consequences for international security and migration. She called for global momentum toward a ceasefire and urged nations to pressure warring parties to end the bloodshed.

While in the region, Cooper held talks with foreign ministers from Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Chad, as well as representatives from the African Union. The discussions focused on coordinating with bordering countries and the international community to secure lasting peace.

Britain is among the largest donors to Sudan’s humanitarian response. Cooper visited a UK-supported hospital in Chad that treats survivors of sexual violence, saying Britain would keep international attention on the atrocities.