By Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a comprehensive report detailing widespread sexual violence against women and girls in Sudan, particularly in the capital Khartoum, since the outbreak of civil war in April 2023. The 88-page report, titled “Khartoum is Not Safe for Women,” paints a harrowing picture of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the East African nation.
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated large parts of Khartoum and spread to other regions, including Darfur. The United Nations has described the situation as “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory,” with millions displaced and at risk of famine.
According to the HRW report, women and girls in Khartoum, Sudan have been subjected to widespread acts of rape, including gang rape, as well as forced marriages and sexual slavery. The RSF is particularly implicated in these atrocities.
The Rapid Support Forces have raped, gang raped, and forced into marriage countless women and girls in residential areas in Sudan’s capital,” said Laetitia Bader, deputy Africa director at HRW. “The armed group has terrorized women and girls and both warring parties have blocked them from getting aid and support services, compounding the harm they face and leaving them to feel that nowhere is safe.”
The report is based on interviews with 42 healthcare providers, social workers, and other responders who had cared for hundreds of survivors of sexual violence. Survivors ranged in age from 9 to 60 years old.
Healthcare workers described treating survivors with severe physical injuries, including fatal cases. The report also highlighted the immense psychological and social trauma inflicted on survivors, with many facing stigma and rejection from their families and communities.
Both the RSF and SAF are accused of impeding humanitarian responses to the crisis. The SAF has restricted the flow of medical supplies into RSF-controlled areas, while the RSF has reportedly pillaged medical supplies and intimidated healthcare providers attempting to report sexual violence.
HRW has characterized the documented cases of sexual violence, forced marriage, and attacks on healthcare facilities as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. The organization calls for immediate action from both warring parties to cease attacks on healthcare facilities and allow aid to enter conflict zones.
The report also urges the UN Security Council to demand an end to sexual violence and impose targeted sanctions against commanders and perpetrators responsible for these atrocities.
As the conflict continues, the international community faces growing pressure to respond effectively to this humanitarian crisis and address the widespread sexual violence occurring in Sudan.
