APA-Khartoum (Sudan) United Nations officials have voiced shock and condemnation at increasing reports of gender-based violence which they claim is being deployed as a tactic of war in Sudan.
These attacks include conflict-related sexual violence against internally displaced and refugee women and girls.
Fighting erupted in Sudan almost three months ago.
Since then close to 1000 people mostly civilians have been killed, while millions more have fled the unrest.
The UN officials called for an immediate end to gender-based violence, including sexual violence as a tactic of war to terrorise people; for prompt, thorough, impartial and independent investigations into all alleged gross violations and abuses of human rights and serious violations of international humanitarian law; and for perpetrators to be held accountable. They stressed that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law to protect civilians, including women and girls, including allowing safe passage for survivors to access health care and for health workers to reach health facilities.
The heads of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the UN Human Rights Office, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women and the World Health Organization (WHO) also stressed the need to swiftly scale up gender-based violence prevention and response services in Sudan as well as in neighbouring countries, where those fleeing violence have sought safety as refugees, to meet the soaring needs.
Even before fighting broke out on 15 April, more than three million women and girls in Sudan were at risk of gender-based violence, including intimate-partner violence, according to UN estimates.
This number has since climbed to an estimated 4.2 million people, the UN said.
Since this conflict began, the UN Human Rights Office in Sudan has received credible reports of 21 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence against at least 57 women and girls.
The victims include at least 10 girls. In one case, as many as 20 women were reportedly raped in the same attack.
The Unit for Combatting Violence against Women under Sudan’s Ministry of Social Development also continues to receive reports of conflict-related sexual violence.
It has documented at least 42 alleged cases in the capital, Khartoum, and 46 in the Darfur region.
”Given the significant underreporting of gender-based violence, the real number of cases is undoubtedly far higher. Many survivors find it challenging to report sexual violence due to shame, stigma and fear of reprisal” the UN said.
”Reporting violations and getting support is also made difficult, if not impossible, by the lack of electricity and connectivity, as well as lack of humanitarian access due to the volatile security situation. Attacks on and occupation of health facilities also prevent survivors from seeking and accessing emergency health care” it added.
Health-care providers, social workers, counsellors and community-based protection networks inside Sudan have all warned of a marked increase in reports of gender-based violence as hostilities continue across the country.
Women, including refugees living in Sudan prior to the conflict have reported incidents of gender-based violence when fleeing Khartoum to other areas.
Women fleeing across Sudan’s borders have told UNHCR and UN Human Rights teams in neighbouring countries of the horrific violence they faced.
The risk of sexual violence is especially high when women and girls are on the move seeking safer locations.
There is an urgent need to ramp up assistance at reception sites for internally displaced people in Sudan’s conflict-affected areas, as well as in neighbouring countries.
PR/as/APA