UNICEF Reports 12 Million at Risk of Sexual Violence Amid Sudan Crisis

UNICEF reports that over 12 million people in Sudan are at risk of sexual violence due to the ongoing conflict. The number of potential victims has increased by 80 percent in the past year, with alarming statistics indicating children are increasingly affected. Christopher Lockyear from MSF criticized the lack of effective action from the UN Security Council amidst worsening humanitarian conditions.

The ongoing war in Sudan has placed over 12 million individuals at risk of sexual violence, according to UNICEF. UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell highlighted during a UN Security Council meeting that the incidence of sexual assault among women, girls, men, and boys has surged by 80 percent in the past year. She emphasized that the situation is dire and deepening as the conflict approaches its two-year anniversary.

In 2024, UNICEF reported 221 cases of rape involving children across nine states, with alarming statistics including 16 cases involving children under five years old and four cases involving infants under one year old. Russell remarked, “The data only gives us a glimpse into what we know is a far larger, more devastating crisis.”

The Security Council meeting addressed the humanitarian crisis affecting 16 million children due to ongoing hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Since the conflict began in April 2023, it has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than 12 million people.

Russell noted that more than 900 serious violations against children were reported from June to December 2024, with a significant portion of victims either killed or severely injured, primarily in Khartoum, Al Jazirah, and Darfur. Amid escalating violence in el-Fasher, which remains a contentious area, the SAF has accused the RSF of targeting civilians, resulting in casualties among young children and women.

Christopher Lockyear, secretary-general of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), condemned both factions for failing to protect civilians, stating, “The war in Sudan is a war on people, a reality that grows more evident by the day.” He criticized the UN Security Council’s calls for ceasefires as ineffective, labeling them “hollow.”

Lockyear asserted, “This council’s failure to translate its own demands into action feels like abandonment to violence and deprivation.” He stated that civilians in conflict zones are continuously neglected and suffer from various forms of violence and deprivation, prompting MSF to suspend operations in the famine-affected Zamzam refugee camp.

Sudan’s UN Ambassador, Al-Harith Idriss Al-Harith Mohamed, indicated to the Security Council that the government has a national plan to protect civilians, countering Lockyear’s criticisms. Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo reported that discussions among diplomats frequently referenced the Jeddah Declaration, an agreement aimed at securing civilian protection, highlighting a need for renewed commitment to safeguarding those affected by the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

The UNICEF report underscores the severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where a staggering 12 million individuals face the threat of sexual violence amid ongoing conflict. The increased rates of such violence and the rising number of child victims signal a long-standing and worsening situation. Calls for effective action by the UN Security Council and acknowledgment of the plight of civilians remain paramount, as the need for a comprehensive strategy to protect those affected becomes increasingly urgent.

Original Source: www.aljazeera.com