The UN humanitarian team expresses concern about the increase in conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan – JURIST

The UN Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in Sudan on Thursday expressed concern about the increase in conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan.

According to the team, reports from Khartoum and Al Jazira indicate that an increasing number of girls and women have been abducted and subjected to rape, sexual battery and forced marriage. The HCT stated that food insecurity and water scarcity contributed to sexual exploitation and that the number of individuals seeking case management services for gender-based violence increased by 288 percent in the first seven months of this year. In addition, the team stated that more and more boys and men were becoming victims of sexual violence.

The HCT said the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war violated human rights and international humanitarian law. The team urged all parties to the conflict to cease violent acts and comply with their legal obligations under international humanitarian law. The team also called on Sudanese authorities to “take immediate action to protect the lives, dignity and well-being of women, girls, men and boys, survivors of sexual violence and female humanitarian workers.”

The UN issued a dire warning on September 8 about the worsening crisis in Sudan, highlighting the devastating consequences of the ongoing conflict and the inadequate international response. World Health Organisation Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that more than 20,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in April 2023.

The conflict, a battle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has created the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. More than ten million people have been driven from their homes in Sudan, including two million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The conflict has devastated Sudan’s infrastructure and healthcare system, leaving 70 to 80 percent of the country’s healthcare facilities non-operational. More than 25 million people– more than half of Sudan’s population – faces acute food insecurity.

On July 28, Human Rights Watch unveiled a comprehensive report on sexual violence committed by the RSF in Khartoum. The report emphasized that acts such as rape, forced marriage or forced pregnancies constitute torture or war crimes under international law and can also be considered crimes against humanity if committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack on a civilian population. The report also noted that international humanitarian law requires that access to health care and health care facilities be protected in time of war.