The United Nations has reported harrowing cases of child rape, including victims as young as one year old, during the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The UN has condemned these acts as an appalling violation and called for an immediate end to sexual violence used as a tactic of war.
UNICEF has documented 221 cases of child rape in Sudan since the beginning of 2024, with a significant number of survivors being girls. Disturbingly, 16 victims were under the age of five, with four being only one year old. Additionally, there are 77 reported cases of sexual assault against children, primarily attempted rape.
UNICEF emphasises that the documented figures represent only a fraction of the actual scale of violence, as many survivors and families are reluctant to report incidents due to fear of stigma, retribution, or breaches of confidentiality. The organisation’s executive director, Catherine Russell, described the situation as shocking and called for urgent action to protect millions of children at risk of sexual violence. She stated that these acts constitute a violation of international law and a potential war crime.
The conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has created a humanitarian catastrophe, with sexual violence being used as a weapon of war. UNICEF reports that attacks include armed men forcibly entering homes and raping girls in front of their families.
Victims suffer severe physical injuries and face lifelong consequences, including the burden of unplanned pregnancies and the difficult decision of whether to seek help. Eyewitness accounts provided by UNICEF detail the brutal reality of these crimes.
UNICEF has urged the Sudanese government and all parties involved in the conflict to uphold their responsibility to protect civilians, particularly children. They further stressed that humanitarian funding must prioritize gender-based violence (GBV) programs.
