UN: Systematic Use of Rape as a Weapon of War in Sudan
As Sudan's war enters its third year, the UN sounds the alarm on escalating sexual violence, mass displacement, and global indifference.
Watan-A United Nations agency warned on Tuesday that rape is being systematically used as a weapon in the war in Sudan, which has now entered its second year.
Anna Mutavati, the Regional Director for UN Women in East and Southern Africa, told journalists in Geneva via video link from Port Sudan:“We have seen a 288% increase in the demand for life-saving support for victims of rape and sexual violence. We are beginning to witness the systematic use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war.”
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi also warned on Tuesday that continuing to turn a blind eye to the situation in Sudan, where the war has now entered its third year, would have “catastrophic consequences” for the country and the region.
Grandi Warns of Catastrophic Consequences if Sudan Crisis Is Ignored
He added:“The Sudanese people are caught in the midst of war, widespread abuses, humiliation, hunger, and other hardships. They are facing the indifference of the outside world, which has shown little interest in peace in Sudan or in assisting its neighbors over the past two years.”
He continued:“The Sudanese are not the only ones who have fallen off the global radar. The world has largely turned its back on the countries and communities that have welcomed large numbers of refugees.”
in Sudan
Grandi Highlights Regional Instability and Urges Support for Sudanese Refugees
Large numbers of refugees have fled to resource-strapped Chad and to Egypt, which currently hosts 1.5 million Sudanese. South Sudanese who had previously sought refuge in Sudan have returned to their homeland, which itself stands on the brink of civil war.
Grandi stressed:“The stability of the entire region is at risk. There is an urgent need not only for humanitarian protection but also for development aid so that host governments can provide a better future for both refugees and their own citizens.”
He also said that the horrors of the war are not limited to Sudan’s neighbors:“Sudanese refugees are reaching Uganda and crossing through Libya in perilous journeys to reach Europe… These refugees are deserving of and in need of their basic rights—safety, dignity, education, work, health, shelter, and peace. Many have undertaken this journey in pursuit of these rights, and many more will follow.”
