Official Report: Sexual Violence a Systematic Weapon of War Used by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan

⁸0⁰0The Women and Children’s Violence Unit revealed that conflict-related sexual violence has become a systematic weapon of war used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia since the outbreak of the war in Sudan.

In a high-level briefing to policymakers and donors, the unit documented 2,200 cases of sexual violence, emphasizing that this figure represents only a small fraction of the actual cases perpetrated by the militia amidst the near-total collapse of health and protection services in the affected areas.

The director of the federal unit, Dr. Amira Azhari, stated in a press release that the recorded figures are not merely statistics but represent blatant violations and systematic crimes committed by the RSF against Sudanese women and girls. She considered the international and regional silence regarding these practices a major crime.

Azhari delivered a decisive message to the African Union and donor partners, stating that Sudanese women will not be broken by these harsh challenges and grave violations.

jThe unit director called for the adoption of five urgent measures, including expanding life-saving medical services within 72 hours for victims, establishing safe houses, ensuring the prosecution and accountability of militia members and perpetrators both internationally and domestically, investing in psychological support, and increasing flexible funding for local women’s organizations. She emphasized that protecting women from militia crimes is a fundamental and essential condition for any future path toward peace, recovery, and stability in the country.