Women and girls in Sudan are disproportionately affected by ongoing conflict

The need for gender-based violence-related services has increased by 100 percent since the crisis began in April 2023, the UN Gender Agency reported, with as many as 6.7 million people needing assistance at the end of last year.

The number of cases of conflict-related sexual violence, sexual exploitation and abuse has increased since then, especially in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan.

Many cases of abuse against displaced women and girls go unreported due to fear of stigmatization by other community members and inadequate support.

Insufficient food and health care

With cases of acute food insecurity and abuse reaching record levels in war-torn Sudan, female-headed households are being hit harder than male-headed households.

In addition, 1.63 million women of childbearing age do not have access to adequate health care, even though approximately 54,000 deliveries are expected in the next three months.

The warning explained that “women and girls also continue to be disproportionately affected by the lack of safe, easily accessible and affordable water, sanitation and hygiene.”

“At least 80 percent of internally displaced women are unable to obtain clean water due to affordability, safety concerns and distance,” the report continued.

Education crisis

Access to education for girls in Sudan is also a major problem, as more than 2.5 million school-aged girls can no longer return to the classroom. increases the risk of “being subjected to harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.”

“Women and girls in Sudan face unimaginable challenges, yet their strength and resilience continue to inspire us” said Hodan Addou, Acting Regional Director of the UN Office for Eastern and Southern Africa for Women. “We cannot allow Sudan to become a forgotten crisis.”

Call to action

UN Women said urgent action is needed to protect women and girls in Sudan and ensure their access to food, safe water and sexual and reproductive health care.

The agency calls on the international community and humanitarian partners to support funding for women-led organizations that prioritize the protection and empowerment of women and girls.

“Now more than ever, the international community must work together to support women in Sudangiving them the resources and protection they need to survive and rebuild their lives,” said Ms Hodan Addou.

UN Women is also demanding an immediate end to the fighting, but all international efforts to broker a ceasefire between the RSF militia and government forces have so far failed.