New York, 17 December, 2024 – The crisis engulfing Sudan has taken a harrowing turn, as UN Women reveals alarming trends indicating a staggering 288 percent rise in demand for gender-based violence (GBV) services over the past year. The current conflict, which has uprooted over 11 million individuals, disproportionately affects women and girls, highlighting their increasingly dire circumstances amid the turmoil.
With more than half of the displaced population being women and girls, the situation has reached crisis levels. An estimated 12 million people are at high risk of GBV, with systematic cases of rape documented, underscoring the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. Survivors face urgent needs for medical, psychological, and social support, as the horrifying nature of the violence reveals itself.
“The suffering of women and girls in Sudan is a stark reminder of the gendered impacts of conflict,” remarked Anna Mutavati, UN Women Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. Her statement emphasizes the pervasive threat to the dignity and safety of these individuals, who find themselves entrenched in danger with scant resources to navigate the aftermath of violence.
The situation is exacerbated by economic hardship and the looming specter of famine, which have driven vulnerable women and girls toward transactional sex, increasing their exposure to GBV and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Harrowing reports indicate rising instances of child marriages, female genital mutilation, and other oppressive forms of violence against women. Alarmingly, three out of four school-age girls—approximately 2.5 million—are currently out of school.
Mohamed Tijani, Head of Office for CARE in South Darfur, commented, “What’s happening in Sudan is a war on women and girls.” The gravity of his statement speaks volumes about the grim reality faced by many, as women constitute the majority of those seeking aid and support. Clinics are filled with mothers holding malnourished children, and the environments they inhabit are fraught with fear and instability.
Stories of survival reflect these challenges. Maria, 20 years old, recounted her harrowing escape from her village, clutching her infant tightly on her back with little else to show for her life before the conflict. “At night we now only hear the crying of the children… But the sound of war is gone. We are still alive. But we have no more strength left,” she expressed, her words capturing the intense struggle faced by so many mothers and children.
Teissir, 23, shared her terrifying experience of fleeing to Chad after armed men attacked her East Darfur village. “There was so much shooting… We followed our neighbors. We did not know where we were going, we just walked,” she said, recounting the loss of everything familiar as well as her parents amid the chaos. This sentiment echoes the collective trauma experienced by countless women seeking refuge and security.
Despite the dire needs, local women-led organizations (WLOs) are largely underfunded, receiving less than 2 percent of total resources available from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund. Their on-the-ground roles are considered pivotal for providing survivor-centered responses to GBV yet require immediate and substantial financial support. UN Women acknowledges this gap and is working toward amplifying these organizations and enhancing community-based gender violence prevention and response mechanisms.
UN Women has initiated efforts to create safe spaces for psychosocial support and vocational training to empower women economically—essential steps toward reducing the vulnerabilities many face. The organization calls for urgent steps from parties involved to cease violence and restore peace, insisting also on the need for comprehensive documentation of conflict-related sexual violence to hold perpetrators accountable.
The stark reality painted by this crisis necessitates both immediate action and long-term strategies from the international community. Less than 10 percent of those at risk currently have access to basic support systems like clinical management of rape and mental health services. UNEWomen’s alert sends a resounding call: “There is no excuse for inactivity—women and girls must not be left behind.”
It is imperative for humanitarian actors to provide survivor-centered services and address the stigma surrounding these issues, encouraging community support and intervention. Engaging men and boys is also recommended as part of efforts to challenge harmful societal norms and provide support to survivors.
This call to action aligns with the revelations of the UN Women report, which emphasizes the urgency of comprehensively addressing gender-based violence. Restoration of peace must also be prioritized to secure the dignity and safety of all civilians, especially women and girls facing unprecedented violence. The pathway to recovery is complicated, yet solidarity, funding, and targeted strategies can dismantle the barriers faced by those most affected by the conflict.
It is through unified effort and commitment from the international community, alongside empowered local entities, where hope can be restored for the women and girls of Sudan striving to reclaim their futures.
