UNICEF says children as young as one raped during Sudan civil war

Data compiled by gender-based violence service providers in Sudan paint a searing picture of the crisis children are being subjected to; 221 rape cases against children were recorded since the beginning of 2024.

These figures represent only a small fraction of total cases, the UN chidren's agency said.

Survivors and their families are often unwilling or unable to come forward due to challenges accessing services, and frontline workers, fear of the stigma they could face, the fear of rejection from their family or community, the fear of retribution from armed groups or fear of confidentiality breaches.

“Children as young as one being raped by armed men should shock anyone to their core and compel immediate action,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Millions of children in Sudan are at risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence, which is being used as a tactic of war. This is an abhorrent violation of international law and could constitute a war crime. It must stop.”

Of the reported 221 child rape survivors, 147 children, or 66 per cent, are girls.

That 33 per cent of the survivors are boys is also notable as they too may face stigma and unique challenges in reporting, seeking help, and accessing services. Shockingly, there are 16 survivors under 5 years of age, including four one-year-olds.

The cases were reported in nine states in Sudan, from south to north and east to west.

There were an additional 77 reported cases of sexual assault against children, primarily attempted rape cases.

The brutal reality of this violence, and the fear of falling victim to it, are pushing women and girls to leave their homes and families and flee to other cities where they often end up in informal displacement sites or communities with scarce resources.

The risk of sexual violence is also high within these communities, especially against children who have been internally displaced.

While the immense impact of sexual violence on survivors is often hidden, it can have an inordinate and lasting negative legacy including significant psychological trauma, forced isolation or family rejection due to social stigma, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, serious injury and other complications.

UNICEF said it is working in partnership to establish safe spaces that provide gender-based violence services for survivors, as well as integrating these into health services at health centers and mobile clinics and providing relevant medical supplies.

 UNICEF said it is also building the capacity of frontline workers including social workers, psychologists and medical professionals and deploying them to locations across Sudan to provide community-based services, including mental health and psychosocial support and referral services. Work is also being undertaken within communities to address harmful social norms and practices.

“Widespread sexual violence in Sudan has instilled terror in people, especially children,” said Russell. “The parties to the conflict, and those with influence on them, must make every effort to put an end to these grave violations against children. These scars of war are immeasurable and long-lasting.”

UNICEF demands

The Government of Sudan and all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians, especially children.

Gender-based violence, including sexual violence as a tactic of war, must end immediately.

Essential services infrastructure and service providers must be protected so their lifesaving work can continue.

Humanitarian workers must be able to safely deliver lifesaving aid and services and families must be able to safely access the support they need.

Safe and ethical data systems must be a priority, both to help strengthen the humanitarian response and as part of broader efforts to hold perpetrators accountable.

In decision-making on funding, GBV programmes must be treated by donors as lifesaving. Time is running out to prevent Sudan’s sexual violence crisis from continuing to expand, impact children and have an inordinate and lasting negative legacy.