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2mo ago

UNICEF Reports Widespread Child Rape in Sudan’s Ongoing Civil War

The UN agency reveals that sexual violence, including the rape of infants as young as one year old, is being used as a weapon of war in the conflict between Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

Orphans and children separated from their parents in Kadugli gather to eat boiled leaves at an IDP Camp within the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) controlled area in Boram County, Nuba Mountains, South Kordofan, Sudan June 22, 2024. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File Photo
Sudanese girls who fled the conflict in Darfur, walk beside makeshift shelters holding each other's hands in Adre, Chad in 2023.
Omnia and her children have sought refuge in a new city after being displaced from their home due to the fighting and threats from armed men.
An 11-year-old rape survivor holds his mother’s hand after visiting a psychologist and social worker who are helping him deal with the trauma of rape.

Overview

  • UNICEF has documented 221 cases of child rape in Sudan since the start of 2024, with victims as young as one year old, though the true scale is believed to be much larger.
  • The report states that sexual violence is being used as a deliberate tactic of war, violating international law and potentially constituting war crimes.
  • Survivors and their families often face stigma, fear of retribution, and limited access to medical or psychological support, further obscuring the full extent of the crisis.
  • The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023, has displaced over 12 million people and killed tens of thousands.
  • UNICEF has called on all parties to the conflict to cease the use of sexual violence, protect civilians, and ensure survivors receive critical support services.