Sudan Conflict: Women Face Starvation, Rape, and Bombs Fleeing El Fasher

Anna Mutavati, UN Women Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, reported that women in El Fasher, Sudan, have faced starvation, displacement, rape, and bombardment. Pregnant women have given birth in the streets due to looted and destroyed maternity hospitals. The Rapid Support Forces militia took control of El Fasher after a 500-day siege, with reports of atrocities such as executions and sexual violence. The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, has displaced millions and worsened the humanitarian crisis. The UN Security Council acknowledges rape in conflict can be a war crime. Ms. Mutavati noted the worsening situation, with thousands of women and girls fleeing to areas like Tawila, Korma, and Malit, where humanitarian aid is limited. Nearly 89,000 people have fled the area recently, some to the Sudan-Chad border.

Women face high risks of sexual violence when fetching water, collecting firewood, or standing in food lines, and rape is reportedly used systematically as a weapon of war. Ms. Mutavati emphasized the absence of safe spaces and basic necessities for women, who face dilemmas choosing between essentials like food and medicine. Women and girls in Sudan are often the last to eat, with many skipping meals for their children. In remote areas, women forage for survival, exposed to more violence. A recent UN food security analysis confirmed famine in El Fasher and Kadugli, with health workers observing severe malnutrition in infants due to their mothers’ starvation. Ms. Mutavati called for an end to violence, better humanitarian access, and support for women-led aid efforts. Every delay in action results in women suffering and children dying from hunger.

UN humanitarian official Tom Fletcher visited Sudan to advocate for an end to atrocities and demand aid access. North Darfur remains unstable, with sporadic violence despite reduced major clashes. In South Kordofan, a drone strike destroyed a school, injuring displaced people, and insecurity hampers aid access. Over 12,000 have fled to White Nile State, straining resources, and the UN continues to urge civilian protection and safe aid access across conflict areas.