The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that the current situation in Sudan has exposed more than 12 million individuals to extensive sexual violence. With sexual abuse employed as a weapon to frighten the people, the toll on women, girls, and increasingly men and boys has grown as the war approaches two-year mark.
Rising Reports of Rape and Sexual Violence
On Thursday, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell informed the Rape that over the past year, the number of people at danger of sexual assault has increased by eighty percent. According to UNICEF statistics, nine states reported 221 incidences of child rape in 2024 alone—disturbingly including instances of neonates being attacked. Of these cases, sixteen included children under five and four included infants under one year old.
Russell underlined that many survivors are unable or reluctant to disclose the abuse because of social stigma, fear of reprisals, and restricted access to support services, therefore stressing that these estimates only reflect a fraction of the real numbers.
The Developing Humanitarian Crisis
Rising in April 2023, the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has claimed tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 12 million people, therefore causing extensive damage. The nation is facing the most serious humanitarian crisis in the world with sixteen million children needing aid this year.
UNICEF recorded more than 900 occurrences of “grave violations” against children, including deaths, maiming, and kidnapping, between June and December 2024. The most badly affected areas have been Khartoum, Al Jazirah, and Darfur. Particularly in the capital of the North Darfur state, el-Fasher, where the RSF’s attack has grown more intense in recent months, the situation has gotten worse. Wednesday the SAF charged the RSF with hurting four women in el-Fasher and killing five children under the age of six.
MSF Opposes Inaction and Criticizes the UN Security Council
Secretary-General of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Christopher Lockyear, severely attacked the inaction of the international community and the opposing sides of conflict. Saying the war “a war on people,” he charged the Sudanese sides of purposefully aggravating civilian misery.
Lockyear also denounced the UN Security Council’s “hollow” frequent requests for cease-fires as well as its incapacity to translate these demands into real action. “Civilians remain invisible, unprotected, bombed, besieged, raped, displaced, deprived of food, medical care, and dignity,” he said. Owing continuous violence, MSF has stopped activities in the Zamzam refugee camp next to el-Fasher.
response of the Sudanese government
Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith Mohamed, Sudan’s UN Ambassador, responded to the criticism by saying that the government of Sudan has developed a national plan aimed at safeguarding people. Furthermore, he said, Lockyear did not cause any worries for him at a prior private encounter.
Notwithstanding these guarantees, the absence of efficient protection for people on the ground still worries the international community greatly. Often referring to the Jeddah Declaration, an agreement struck in 2023 under the mediation of the United States and Saudi Arabia, diplomats at the UN Security Council regularly suggest this as a possible route for safeguarding people. Lockyear and other professionals, however, have urged a fresh, more all-encompassing strategy to help Sudan through its crisis.
The Journey Ahead
As Sudan still suffers one of the biggest humanitarian tragedies in recent memory, the reaction of the international community to the crisis is under constant examination. The urgency of quick action is more evident than ever given sexual assault at an all-time high and the war wreaking extensive destruction.
Humanitarian organizations and diplomats both are urging a more strong worldwide reaction to safeguard vulnerable populations, particularly women and children, from the continuous bloodshed as the situation in Sudan keeps getting worse.
