The United Nations children’s agency has reported harrowing incidents of children, some as young as 1, being subjected to rape and sexual abuse by armed groups in Sudan, amid an ongoing and brutal civil war. The agency’s recent findings shed light on the distressing reality of mass sexual violence being used as a tool of warfare against children in the northeast African nation. Over 200 cases of child rape have been documented since the conflict began nearly two years ago, although this figure is believed to represent only a fraction of the actual incidents.
UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, condemned these heinous acts as egregious violations of international law and potential war crimes, urging immediate action to address the crisis. Shockingly, the report revealed that even infants as young as one year old were among the victims of these brutal assaults, with survivors as young as 5 years old recounting their traumatic experiences.
The escalating violence against Sudanese children has seen a significant spike, with a 16% increase in reported violations in 2024 compared to the previous year. The conflict, pitting Sudan’s Armed Forces against the Rapid Support Forces militia, has plunged the country into chaos, displacing millions and leaving a devastating impact on the civilian population.
The testimonies included in the report paint a grim picture of the horrors faced by children in conflict zones, with survivors recounting scenes of terror and abuse at the hands of armed perpetrators. The breakdown of the military alliance between key commanders has only exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with both sides implicated in grave human rights violations.
Despite the challenges and dangers faced by children in war-torn regions, UNICEF continues to provide crucial support through Emergency Response Rooms, offering safe spaces for young victims to seek assistance and protection. The devastating impact of these sexual crimes on children underscores the urgent need for comprehensive intervention and protection mechanisms to safeguard the most vulnerable members of society.
“Being internally displaced and continuing to face a high risk of sexual violence, the report further emphasized the dire situation. ‘Widespread sexual violence in Sudan has instilled terror in the population, particularly affecting children,’ Russell stated, urging all parties involved in the conflict to cease these violations. ‘The enduring impact of these war-inflicted wounds is immeasurable and long-lasting,’ she concluded.”
