As the crisis in Sudan intensifies, an alert by UN Women has highlighted the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on women and girls. Over 11 million people have been displaced since the conflict erupted in April 2023, with women and girls making up more than half of those affected.
The alert report, which contains recommendations from an independent fact-finding mission, underscored the alarming prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV), with an estimated 12 million people currently at risk.
Documented cases of mass and systemic rape reveal the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, leaving survivors in dire need of medical, psychological and social support. The number of survivors seeking services has surged by 288 per cent since December 2023, indicating the widespread and escalating nature of the crisis.
Women and girls from ethnic minority groups are being deliberately targeted, compounding their vulnerability, the report also highlighted.
Economic challenges and the threat of famine are pushing some women and girls into transactional sex, increasing their exposure to GBV and risks of sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Additionally, the conflict has led to a sharp rise in child marriages, female genital mutilation and other forms of violence. The disruption to education is profound, with 74 per cent of school-age girls (approximately 2.5 million) out of school.
The paper laid out recommendations for the parties to the conflict, the United Nations, donors, Sudan Humanitarian Fund and humanitarian actors. It urged immediate implementation of recommendations to address GBV and conflict-related sexual violence.
Conflict parties must cease violence, uphold human rights, ensure humanitarian access and protect service providers, the paper said. The UN should engage politically with conflict parties, strengthen monitoring frameworks and prioritise action against GBV.
Donors were called upon to increase flexible, long-term funding for women-led organisations (WLOs) and support capacity building. Humanitarian actors must expand survivor-centred services, including healthcare, legal aid and economic empowerment, while addressing stigma and promoting community-based prevention. Efforts should also engage men and boys to challenge harmful norms and support survivors, the paper recommended.
Local women-led organisations play a critical role in delivering survivor-centred responses, yet they currently receive less than 2 per cent of the funding from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, UN Women pointed out, calling for increased financial support to empower these organisations and strengthen community-based prevention and response mechanisms.
“The deliberate and targeted use of sexual violence as a tool of war is a gross violation of human rights and international law. Together, we can ensure that the dignity and safety of women and girls are at the heart of humanitarian responses,” said Anna Mutavati, UN Women’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, in a statement.
UN Women’s response included the establishment of safe spaces for psychosocial support and the launch of vocational training and economic empowerment programmes to reduce vulnerabilities and foster resilience among affected women. The organisation said it was also working with women-led networks to integrate women’s voices into ceasefire talks and advocate for an end to the conflict.
The alert also called for robust documentation of conflict-related sexual violence to hold perpetrators accountable and inform targeted interventions. Currently, less than 10 per cent of the targeted population has access to essential services such as clinical management of rape, mental health care and safe shelters.
The crisis in Sudan demands a unified international response that addresses both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term recovery efforts. There is no excuse for inaction—women and girls must not be left behind in the struggle for peace and security, a press note from the UN Women stated, urging the restoration of peace and the cessation of all forms of GBV.