The ongoing civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has plunged the nation into what the United Nations describes as the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis. At the heart of this devastation lies a horrifying escalation of sexual violence, employed as a deliberate weapon of war with women and girls bearing the disproportionate brunt of these atrocities.
Fabrizia Falcione, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative for Sudan, has voiced her profound shock at the unprecedented scale of conflict-related sexual violence. “In this conflict, sexual violence is being clearly utilised as a form of warfare itself,” Falcione stated. “And women are the ones who are paying the price.” She elaborated that parties to the conflict are systematically committing acts of sexual violence and rape against women and girls with the explicit aim of disintegrating communities and inflicting deep, lasting wounds. Given that women are often the anchors of families and communities, they are strategically targeted.
Falcione’s firsthand accounts paint a harrowing picture. She has personally met hundreds of women and girls who have managed to escape the brutal violence in Darfur and Kordofan, two regions that have experienced intense fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. “When they arrive, they tell about the violence they suffered, including the instances of rape and sexual violence that they went through,” she recounted. The stories extend to unimaginable suffering, with Falcione sharing, “I did meet also women who were telling about other women who give birth along the road. And unfortunately, their fate is unknown.”
The Lingering Scars: Trauma and Stigma
Survivors of sexual violence endure not only immediate physical trauma and injuries but also face the grave risks of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Compounding these physical hardships is the pervasive issue of stigma, which Falcione highlights as a significant long-term consequence. “Sexual violence and rape have an impact on communities and on societies on the longer term,” she explained. “The children who will be and are born out of rape, the girls, the women who may not be considered as part of the society anymore or of the community because of being survivors of sexual violence.”
The UNFPA is actively engaged in working with communities, families, and individuals of all ages to combat this deeply entrenched stigma. Recognizing the demographic reality of Sudan, where over 65% of the population is under 24, Falcione sees immense potential in young people as powerful agents of change. “Unfortunately stigma that is related to sexual violence exists everywhere,” she acknowledged, underscoring the universal challenge.
Addressing Urgent Needs in Displacement Camps
For displaced women, the most immediate and pressing needs revolve around basic services, crucially including sexual and reproductive health services. While humanitarian workers strive to provide these essential services within displacement camps, their availability remains severely limited.
In response, the UNFPA operates mobile health units designed to reach women in need, alongside establishing safe spaces exclusively for women and girls. These safe havens offer a critical sanctuary where women can “share with other women their trauma,” and “get services to overcome trauma, including psychosocial support by skilled people.” Beyond immediate therapeutic support, these safe spaces also serve as platforms for women to acquire new skills, empowering them to generate income and begin the arduous process of rebuilding their lives.
Millions Displaced, Longing for Return
More than 1,000 days into the conflict, a staggering 9.3 million people remain internally displaced across Sudan, with women and children constituting the vast majority. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that approximately 3 million individuals have returned to their areas of origin, including over 1 million who have gone back to Khartoum.
Falcione emphasized that a strong desire to return to their original communities exists among displaced women. However, this aspiration is contingent upon the availability of fundamental services, such as viable job opportunities and accessible healthcare. “Women are peacemakers,” Falcione stated emphatically. “This war is not a war of the women.”
