Women in Darfur Face Systematic Violence Amid Ongoing Conflict

Reports from women fleeing the city of El Fasher in Sudan reveal alarming instances of violence, including systematic rape and the disappearance of children, following the city’s capture by the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 26, 2023. The United Nations agency for women highlighted these harrowing accounts during a briefing on the escalating crisis in Darfur, where the RSF has consolidated its grip amid ongoing conflict with the Sudanese army.

Survivors recounted scenes of terror, describing civilians shot in the streets and targeted by drone strikes. During a video link briefing from Nairobi, Anna Mutavati, Regional Director for East and Southern Africa at UN Women, expressed grave concerns about the situation. “Horrors that no one should ever endure,” she stated, emphasizing the pervasive nature of sexual violence in the region. Mutavati noted that there is “mounting evidence that rape is being deliberately and systematically used as a weapon of war.”

The plight of women in Darfur is further compounded by acute food insecurity. Approximately 11 million women and girls face severe hunger, with many resorting to foraging for wild leaves and berries to survive. In the process, they encounter heightened risks of violence, including abduction and gender-based attacks. Mutavati described the situation as dire, stating, “Women’s bodies become a crime scene in Sudan.”

Famine conditions have been officially declared in El Fasher and Kadugli, another city in southern Sudan, according to a global food monitor. The UN human rights chief raised alarms about potential summary executions and ethnically motivated violence continuing in El Fasher, underscoring the need for urgent international attention.

The recent conflict that has devastated Sudan began in April 2023, when clashes erupted between the Sudanese army and the RSF over plans to integrate their forces. Since then, the violence has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, widespread hunger, and the displacement of millions. As of now, approximately 82,000 people have fled El Fasher and its surrounding areas, while estimates suggest that as many as 200,000 people may still be trapped within the city.

In a recent development, the Sudanese army rejected a proposal from the United States for a three-month ceasefire, asserting its intention to galvanize public support to combat rebel forces. Conversely, the RSF indicated a willingness to adhere to the proposed truce, showcasing the fractured dynamics of power and control in the region.

The international community continues to watch closely as the situation in Darfur unfolds, with humanitarian organizations calling for immediate action to protect vulnerable populations and address the escalating violence.