Sexual and gender-based violence in Sudan: a snapshot (March 2025)
By Fathiaa Abdalla
Overview
This briefing gives a snapshot of the escalating sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) crisis in Sudan, highlighting the scale, affected populations, forms of violence, and urgent recommendations.
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is defined by the World Health Organisation as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation”.
Conflict related sexual violence (CRSV) is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime. Sexual violence may constitute crimes against humanity when committed as part of a wide spread or systematic attack on a civilian population.
Context
Since April 2023, the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has resulted in mass displacement and human rights violations, including gang rapes and killings of supporters of SGBV survivors.
Many people have encountered violence in particular, women and girls faced sexual gender-based violence risks when their homes came under attack, while they were fleeing their homes, in temporary shelters, and at the borders.
Magnitude
An estimated 12 million Sudanese people (25% of the population) are at risk of gender-based violence.
A 288% increase in demand for SGBV support services in the past year indicates the crisis's severity. Documented cases reveal systemic rape as a weapon of war.
Boys and girls, including infants, as young as one year of age, are among the victims. The fear that boys and men experience from the risk and realities of sexual violence must also be highlighted and responded to.
Gang rapes, killings of aid workers, and targeted violence against women civic leaders are prevalent.
Gender-based violence was frequently reported in rural locations e.g. in North Darfour, and disproportionately affected women and girls engaging in daily activities, including the collection of firewood or other livelihood activities.
SGBV is severely underreported due to stigma and fear. So the scale of the crisis will be higher than the figures suggest.
Behind each number reported are many more children, women, girls boys and men suffering or dying in silence.
Stigma is high due to social and cultural norms, many survivors are confronted with being rejected by their community and family left due to the stigma of unwanted pregnancies from rape.
Abandoned babies born of rape present a new urgent humanitarian crisis.
According to Sudanese Organisations working against gender-based violence “many infants have been born as a result of rape, with majority being abandoned. Eyewitnesses from South Khartoum said fighters either sold children and newborns to the city’s few remaining residents or abandoned them to perish on the streets.
Some victims commit suicide from the shame they feel. Often, the rape is accompanied by other forms of physical violence, including beatings, and injuries to body.
Key Impacts
Survivors face severe physical and psychological trauma, impacting their development and future, with limited access to support.
Ethnic minority groups are deliberately targeted with rape and other forms of sexual violence. According to the UN, there are indications that attacks were ethnically or racially motivated, particularly in West Darfur, where non-Arab women were subjected to sexual violence.
The breakdown of the rule of law has caused a dramatic rise of these crimes.
Impunity is rampant, hindering justice and accountability.
Reports are cited of attacks against women human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, and humanitarian workers to “silence documentation and reporting of GBV incidents and the scale of atrocities”.
“Food for sex” is being used by some, due to a lack of other options, presenting a negative coping strategy.
Survivors’ testimonials
According to a Human Rights Watch Report, a psychiatrist who supported more than 40 survivors in 6 months explained:
“I spoke to a survivor who was raped and just discovered she was 3 months pregnant; she was clearly traumatised and shivering – afraid of how her family would react. She said to me ‘if they discover my situation, they will kill me.”
A health worker in Khartoum said:
“We received a case of a mother and her four daughters who were raped in front of their father and brothers. They were not able to leave their homes as perpetrators placed them under house arrest. These women were raped repeatedly for days. One of the daughters was pregnant when they were able to reach us.”
For Aisha, as told to UNFPA, the situation only grew more complex:
“In Kassala, I discovered I was pregnant. My friend’s family had decided to leave, but when they found out they refused to take me with them. Alone and knowing no one, I tried to stay in a displacement camp, but they turned me away.”
With no means of looking after herself or anywhere to seek shelter or health care, Aisha grew increasingly distraught.
”Those days were incredibly tough, and I even attempted suicide. One day a family told me about a safe space for women and girls in Kassala, suggesting they might help me. When I arrived, I saw a doctor and a psychologist. They had me sent to a hospital and gave me some money and temporary shelter.”
According to a Human Rights Watch report, fighters took 18 year old Hania from her home in Favu, South Kordofan, when she was 3 months pregnant. They held her at a military base and repeatedly raped her for three months before she escaped.
One woman said: “Both of my parents are too old and sick, and I never let my daughter go out to look for food, I went to the soldiers and that was the only way to get food – they were everywhere in the factories area. The woman claimed she was forced to have sex with soldiers at a warehouse storing fava beans.”
Sadly, food for sex is inevitable as a negative coping strategy in conflicts which was also been reported in other conflicts in Africa.
Contribution of the Sudanese Diaspora
Since the conflict in Sudan started various Sudanese Civil Society in UK started to advocate in support of people of Sudan including holding events and discussions to raise public awareness and advocate for international humanitarian support to the affected people.
Sudanese diaspora communities are directly funding emergency rooms, community kitchens, and Takaya who help people in need throughout Sudan through self-raised cash transfers. This support is essential, as these vital services are not covered by other funding sources that supports Mutual Aid. The diaspora's fund to volunteer-led network represents an innovative and critical humanitarian response, particularly after the USAID funding reduction.
HAS Short and long term actions and recommendations: International Community (UN, Member States, AU)
Fund Equitable Partnerships: Provide flexible funding to NNGOs, including women-led organisations, and community-led initiatives.
Recognise and Fund SGBV Crisis: Acknowledge the crisis as a GBV emergency, strengthen accountability, and establish a trust fund for children born of sexual violence.
Humanitarian & Development Partners
Empower Local Responses: Support localisation through empowering community networks (ERRs, Takaya), to provide emergency assistance including to survivors, and ensure NGO/WLO representation in aid.
Communities
Raise Awareness and Support Survivors: Empower local organisations and responders to engage communities to combat stigma, harmful practices and support survivors and children born of rape, e.g. through community based-solutions.
Consult Affected Populations: Base policies on input from women, internally displaced, and marginalised groups.
Advocacy
Maintain consistent coverage on the scale and impact of SGBV on civilians.
Academia and Research
Conduct research: Assess gaps in knowledge of SGBV to inform programmes and advocacy.
More information
UN Women and Women Count leaflet: No excuse: Calling for an end to gender-based violence in Sudan
Human Rights Watch article: “Khartoum is not safe for women”