Shocking Rise of Child Sexual Assault in Sudan Amidst Ongoing Conflict
Warfare Strategy Involves Sexual Assault of Minors in Sudan According to UNICEF
In the heart of Sudan's brutal conflict, a dark reality emerges. Recent reports point to a horrifying increase in sexual assault against children, including infants, as the violence continues. The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is working tirelessly with partners to support survivors and combat this heinous issue.
Unveiling the Protection Crisis: Sexual Violence Against Children
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has left a devastating trail of deaths, injuries, and displacement, creating a humanitarian crisis that leads to disease and malnutrition. Yet, there's another, lesser-known crisis brewing – the widespread sexual violence against children, especially girls.
A new report recounts the harrowing tales told by gender-based violence service providers in Sudan, highlighting the sexual abuse, assault, and even rape of children. Since the beginning of 2024, over 200 cases of child rape have been reported. However, experienced providers acknowledge this number likely represents merely a small fraction of the actual cases. This is due to numerous factors, such as unwillingness or inability of survivors to come forward and fear of stigma, community rejection, or retaliation from armed groups.
You can find the UNICEF report, "Sudan's Child Rape and Sexual Violence Crisis, * bearing a trigger warning, here.*
Perpetuating International Law's Abhorrence
Executive Director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell, has expressed her deep concern regarding this issue, stating, "The brutal reality of children being subjected to sexual violence in Sudan should shock every individual and prompt immediate action." Russell further added, "Millions of children in Sudan are at risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence, which are being used as a weapon of war. This is a despicable violation of international law and may be considered a war crime."
Among the reported rape survivors, 147 – or 66 percent – are girls. The remaining 33 percent, which include boys, also face the same stigma, unique challenges in reporting, and difficulties in accessing necessary help. Shockingly, 16 survivors were under age 5, with four surviving victims being just 1 year old.
Accounts of Brutality
During December 2024 and January 2025, UNICEF documented dozens of firsthand accounts of gender-based violence, including numerous instances of child sexual violence survivors who faced violence during invasions, while fleeing danger, or while being held captive by armed men.
The terrible consequences of this violence and the fear of falling victim to it are causing women and girls to abandon their homes and families, seeking refuge in other citieswhere they often end up in informal displacement sites or communities with scarce resources. With the risk of sexual violence also high within these communities, children who have been internally displaced remain particularly vulnerable.
Witness to Horrors
Omnia*, one survivor, bears the trauma of being kidnapped and held captive by armed men for 19 days. She recalls multiple instances where girls were attacked during her captivity.
"At 1 a.m. during Ramadan, they brought in a young girl, around 15 or 16 years old. Her clothes were drenched in blood, and she was in a terrible condition. We helped her, gave her water and did our best to comfort her," Omnia recounted. "After 9 at night, they would choose one girl and take her to another room. I could hear her crying and screaming as they raped her.”
Omnia and her children have since found refuge in a new city, receiving mental health and psychosocial support through a women’s organization to aid in her healing. She has aspirations of returning to human rights work but remains fearful for her life.
A Nightmare of Kidnapping, Beatings, and Rape
Sisters Dana and Yara endured four months of kidnapping, beatings, and rape by soldiers before managing to escape. The horrific experience left them with serious health and mental health consequences, and both became pregnant as a result.
Since fleeing, the family has sought refuge in a new city, but the daughters continue to struggle with their physical and mental health challenges, as well as the challenges associated with raising their children without the support of their extended family due to the stigma attached to having a child after rape.
Safe Spaces, Health Services, Mental Health Support
The aftermath of sexual violence usually goes unseen but can have a lasting and devastating impact on survivors, including significant psychological trauma, forced isolation, stigma, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, injury, and other complications.
To combat this growing crisis, UNICEF is working alongside partners to establish safe spaces that offer gender-based violence services to survivors, integrating these services into health centers, mobile clinics, and providing relevant medical supplies.
UNICEF is also investing in building the capacity of frontline social workers, psychologists, and medical professionals, who are being deployed to locations across Sudan to provide community-based services, such as mental health, psychosocial support, and referral services. Efforts are also being made to address harmful social norms and practices within communities.
"The widespread sexual violence in Sudan has instilled terror in people, especially children," said Russell. "The parties to this conflict, and those influencing them, must make every possible effort to put an end to these grave violations against children. These wounds of war are immeasurable and long-lasting."
All survivors’ names have been changed to protect their identity.
For more information about UNICEF’s child protection work, click here.
- The UNICEF report titled, "Sudan's Child Rape and Sexual Violence Crisis," which contains graphic details and a warning, can be found here.
- In the report, it was revealed that 147, or 66 percent, of the 200+ reported cases of child rape in Sudan were girls.
- To combat the growing crisis of sexual violence in Sudan, UNICEF is working alongside partners to establish safe spaces, integrate gender-based violence services into health centers and mobile clinics, and provide relevant medical supplies, mental health support, and training for frontline workers.
