UN agencies condemn sexual violence in Sudan, urges action to protect women
July 5, 2023 (NEW YORK/GENEVA) – Senior United Nations officials issued a joint statement on Wednesday, calling for an immediate halt to conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls in Sudan following the outbreak of fighting between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces.
The heads of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Human Rights Office, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, and the World Health Organization (WHO) condemned gender-based violence targeting displaced and refugee women and girls.
The statement emphasized the need for prompt, impartial, and independent investigations into alleged human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law. The officials stressed the importance of holding perpetrators accountable. They urged all parties involved in the conflict to fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws, including ensuring safe passage for survivors to access healthcare and enabling health workers to reach medical facilities.
Since the start of the conflict, the UN Human Rights Office in Sudan has received credible reports of 21 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence involving at least 57 women and girls. Among the victims, at least 10 were girls. In one particularly horrific case, up to 20 women were reportedly raped in a single attack.
The Unit for Combating Violence against Women, under Sudan’s Ministry of Social Development, continues to receive reports of conflict-related sexual violence. It has documented at least 42 alleged cases in the capital, Khartoum, and 46 in the Darfur region.
Regional women’s groups and Sudanese civil society organizations have issued statements accusing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of perpetrating sexual assaults against women in Khartoum and the Darfur region.
Recent incidents in Khartoum, where paramilitary forces attempted to kidnap girls from their homes, triggered public outrage and led to calls for action against the RSF. However, the abductees were reportedly released shortly afterwards.
(ST)