Africa’s leaders must address weaponisation of rape in Sudan’s conflict
Al JazeeraFEB 3
The sexual violence spans nine Sudanese states, with 66 percent of victims being girls and 33 percent boys, while 16 survivors were under age five, demonstrating the widespread nature of these attacks across the country.In a report released on Monday, the UN children's agency UNICEF said that armed men have been raping and sexually assaulting children in Sudan since early 2024, with victims including one-year-old infants.
The ongoing conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between Sudan's military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has displaced over 14 million people and resulted in at least 20,000 deaths, creating conditions that have increased vulnerability to sexual violence.The sexual violence spans nine Sudanese states. Of the reported 221 cases of child rape last year, 66% of the victims were girls and 33% were boys, while 16 survivors were under five.
Survivors face multiple challenges including physical injuries, psychological trauma, unwanted pregnancies, and social stigma, with some victims attempting suicide and others being rejected by their families after becoming pregnant.The ongoing conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between Sudan's military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has displaced over 14M people and resulted in at least 20K deaths.
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Even if both sides have committed abuses in the war, the RSF is responsible for some of the most heinous atrocities being committed in Sudan. Hopefully, the armed forces will make territorial gains, end the war in the coming days, and lead the country back to democracy. However, the raging systematic violence will not cease until the US and UK publicly condemn the UAE's role in fueling the Sudanese war for political and economic hegemony.