Sudan: Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War

Sudan: Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War

Over three years into the conflict in Sudan, conflict-related sexual violence has been used as a tactic to terrorise civilians — reaching nearly every corner of the country, with cases verified across 16 of Sudan's 18 states. The UN Human Rights Office has documented recurring patterns of rape and gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, abductions and trafficking. Our findings indicate these acts amount to war crimes. In Darfur, there are reasonable grounds to believe they may also constitute crimes against humanity. Behind every case is a person whose life has been changed forever. The consequences extend across generations — physical injury, psychological trauma, family separation and exclusion. Yet the true scale of this crisis remains obscured by fear, stigma and the collapse of essential services. Accountability remains the exception. Impunity deepens harm. This must change. Sudan's survivors have waited too long for protection, justice and reparations. We call on parties to the conflict to end sexual violence — and urge the international community to make accountability the foundation of all efforts toward peace. Subscribe for human rights updates from the UN Human Rights Office: https://www.youtube.com/@UNHumanRights 📄 Read the full report: [https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/countries/sudan/2026-devastating-impacts-conflict-related-sexual-violence-ohchr-report-sudan-en.pdf] ---------------------------------------------- Learn more: http//ohchr.org #Sudan #HumanRights #SexualViolence #UNHumanRights #Accountability #Darfur #WarCrimes #OHCHR