UN gender alert: The crisis in Sudan has doubled violence against women and girls

The war in Sudan, which resulted in the world’s largest internal displacement crisis, is having a catastrophic impact on women and girls, UN Women said in a new Gender Alert on Thursday.

The number of people in need of gender-based violence-related services has increased by 100 percent since the war between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out in mid-April 2023. This number was 6.7 million. According to the Gender Alert titled Women and girls of Sudan: Fortitude amid the flame of war, published on Thursday by UN Women Africa, this percentage is expected to be even higher in December.

“While men and boys are also victims of gender-based violence, most of these cases involve women and girls,” UN Women said. “Ongoing violence, especially in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan, has increased the risks women and girls face, with increasing reports of conflict-related sexual violence, sexual exploitation and abuse. The nearly 5.8 million internally displaced women and girls are particularly vulnerable, with many cases of abuse going unreported due to a lack of adequate support and fear of stigmatization and retaliation.”

Furthermore, “Sudan is facing the worst acute food insecurity ever recorded in the country. With 64 percent of female-headed households experiencing food insecurity, compared to 48 percent of male-headed households in 10 states, women and girls eat the least and last.

“Women and girls also continue to be disproportionately affected by the lack of safe, easily accessible and affordable water, sanitation and hygiene. At least 80 percent of internally displaced women are unable to obtain clean water due to affordability, safety concerns and distance,” the 16-page report said.

“Access to healthcare is another challenge: 1.63 million women of childbearing age do not have adequate services. Among them, more than 160,000 are pregnant, and an estimated 54,000 deliveries are expected in the next three months.”

In terms of education, “more than 2.5 million girls, representing 74 percent of school-aged girls, are currently out of school, increasing their risk of being exposed to harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.”

‘Unimaginable challenges’

Hodan Addou, Acting Regional Director of the UN Office for Women East and Southern Africa, noted: “Women and girls in Sudan face unimaginable challenges, but their strength and resilience continue to inspire us.

“We cannot allow Sudan to become a forgotten crisis. Now more than ever, the international community must work together to support women in Sudan and ensure they have the resources and protection they need to survive and rebuild their lives.”

UN Women supports community initiatives, in partnership with women-led organizations, to build resilience and ensure access to crucial humanitarian services for women, men, girls and boys affected by the crisis.

The UN Women’s Agency therefore urges the international community, donors and humanitarian partners to prioritize the protection and empowerment of Sudanese women and girls, including by increasing funding for local women-led organizations, which have only 1 .63 percent of Sudanese humanitarian aid received. Financial resources of the Fund in 2023.

“UN Women stands with the people of Sudan during this worsening humanitarian crisis and calls for an immediate end to the war and a return to the negotiating table for peace dialogues.”