On the occasion of International Women’s Day (March 8), the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) warns of increasing violence against women and girls in Sudan, condemning the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war. “All rules of international humanitarian law are being broken in Sudan. Women and girls are suffering the most. Due to the halt of aid programs funded by the United States, their situation has deteriorated even further,” criticized Sarah Reinke, head of human rights work at the STP.

“Even in war, there are rules – regardless of whether a fighter belongs to the Sudanese army or the RSF Militia. The systematic use of rape as a weapon of war is a war crime. The fact that women and children in Sudan are abducted, that they are raped during attacks on towns and villages, during house searches, in refugee camps, while fleeing, and while fetching water, proves that they are not safe from brutal attacks by armed men – nowhere at all,” Reinke said. “If the EU is serious about rule-based politics – unlike the United States – action must finally be taken to protect women and children in Sudan from sexualized and gender-based violence!”

“Even before the war, the situation of women in terms of gender-based violence, social, economic and political marginalization was very dire, especially in the conflict areas of Darfur and Kordofan. Many women were forced to flee. Their rights are violated in the refugee camps as well, and not even their basic needs are met. At least 50 percent of the women were traumatized once again by the war,” stated a member of the Sudanese human rights organization Bana Group for Peace and Development, a partner organization of the STP. “Before the war, women played an important role as advocates for peace and redevelopment – and as members of local and international committees. However, they were never adequately represented,” the member of the Bana Group for Peace and Development added.

Only a few days ago, the children’s fund UNICEF had presented a report on sexual violence against children in Sudan. The figures and the individual fates are horrifying. A total number of 221 cases of rape of minors were reported in 2024 – and 16 of the survivors were younger than five. The actual number of cases is probably much higher. According to the organization UN Women, 25 percent of the population (12.1 million people) are at risk of becoming victims of gender-based violence.