Sudan’s Ongoing Gender-Based Violence During Civil War – The Organization for World Peace

The most recent Sudanese civil war began in April of 2023, and since then gender-based violence affecting women and girls has been on the rise, marking itself as a critical issue. According to U.N. Women, “… the number of women and girls requiring support after experiencing gender-based violence nearly doubl[ed] in two years and quadrupl[ed] since the start of the war three years ago.” 

The European Union’s High Representative gave a statement regarding the humanitarian and violence in Sudan, affirming that, “International humanitarian and human rights laws, including the protection of civilians in particular women and girls and civilian infrastructure, must be fully respected by all parties.” U.N. Women published reports and statements from Sudanese women, one mentioning how, “The conflict has significantly reshaped gender roles, with many women becoming primary providers and heads of households. At the same time, women and girls are facing multidimensional poverty and lack adequate access to protection services that meet their needs.” Another Sudanese woman stated how, “The conflict has led to widespread school dropouts due to poverty and displacement,” and that, “Many women are now forced into marginal or informal work, where they face various types of violations and extortion, including by security actors.”

The issues and gender-based violence that Sudanese women are facing goes far beyond gender roles, education, poverty, and workplace violations. According to ReliefWeb, women are also facing partner violence, domestic abuse, child and forced marriages, and genital mutilation. The source also reports that affected women and children typically do not report these violences due to fear of retaliation by men and a lack of accessible services to aid them. The lack of resources and protection stems from a larger issue, one that the U.N. Women Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Anna Mutavati, comments on. Mutavati describes how, “Women and girls are being raped and killed in their homes, and as they flee, seek food, water and medical care. The use of sexual violence has been embedded in the blueprint of Sudan’s war.” U.N. Women has actively been in Sudan providing resources to these women and children, but the major problem is that gender-based violence is rooted in Sudan’s conflicts, making it a systemic issue that ultimately needs to be dealt with from the inside-out. Despite their current civil war, the two Sudanese administrations need to create organizations to aid women and  children and properly punish those who are violating them. Violence towards women needs to be treated with more severity in Sudan, not considered a family matter. Abusers cannot remain free. Organizations like the U.N. provide aid and resources at the moment for these women, but in order for long lasting reform to occur, it needs to begin within the structure of the nation. 

Sudan’s civil war began in 2023 when two rival military groups derailed a Sudanese democratic transition, leading to war between the two groups. Sudan is now functioning under a transitional government, with both military groups operating parallel administrations. The war has led to over 4.3 million women and girls being displaced and 17.1 million requiring humanitarian assistance, with women and girls being disproportionately targeted and abused. Because of the civil war and lack of a proper ruling government and social services, gender-based violence is increasing, and women and girls are becoming increasingly more vulnerable. 

The majority of aid women and girls in Sudan are receiving is U.N.-based, and the Sudanese transitional government has yet to make reforms or efforts to lower the violence towards women. With the current state of Sudan, it seems unlikely that reform will occur until the civil war is settled and a more concrete government is put into power, leaving the future treatment or rights progression of women and girls in Sudan unknown. For the time being, organizations like the U.N. and others focused on women’s or humanitarian rights should continue to provide aid and mental health services to those affected. Women are disproportionately treated unfairly across the world, and true peace cannot occur until all groups are given proper safety and support.