Women rally against war in Sudan as suicide rises among rape victims

Women displaced by conflict sit at a mosque in Sudan's northern border town of Wadi Halfa near Egypt on September 12, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The Human Rights Watch released a report that portrayed the horrendous status of women.
- The report highlighted the plight of women since the start of the civil war in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces.
Women are making concerted efforts to end the war in Sudan, with countless left with the scars of sexual violence. Activists have reported that the trauma of rape has driven some to take their own lives.
Lawyer Samia Mohamed Saleh, head of the Women Lawyers for Change Centre, launched the campaign Women against War on April 18, 2023, shortly after the conflict erupted. Since its inception, a large coalition of Sudanese women has joined the campaign. Through this initiative, these women continue to advocate an end to the war and document violations occurring throughout the country.
They have issued statements and appeals to international organisations, urging them to pressure both sides of the conflict to cease hostilities and protect civilians, in accordance with international charters on civilian protection during armed conflict.
The campaign also disseminates publications and posters, and has launched extensive social media efforts. Samia said: “From the beginning of the war, the campaign has sent letters to the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Sudan, including samples of reported violations.”
She added that the campaign has released 120 statements condemning violations against civilians and civilian infrastructure. “We have urged the UN Secretary-General to appoint a committee to investigate the gravest violations that have subsequently occurred in Sudan. We have also reached out to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union, urging them to pressure both sides to cease fighting and protect civilians.”
In July, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report that portrayed the horrendous status of women. The report – based on interviews with service providers, including healthcare workers, social workers, counsellors, lawyers, and local ‘emergency response rooms’ volunteers – highlighted the plight of women since the start of the civil war in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The healthcare providers reported that hundreds of girls and women had been raped and gang-raped during this period. Between April 2023 and February 2024, they reported caring for 262 survivors of sexual violence, including men and boys, by offering direct medical care and psychosocial support.
Most victims came from Khartoum North and Omdurman. HRW noted that they were unable to directly interview the survivors because of “serious logistical and ethical challenges”.
Nidal Taha, a member of the emergency response room in Khartoum, indicated during the virtual launch of the report that the horror had driven many victims to suicide. “They are facing immense mental, physical, and psychological suffering, and they need help.”
A special envoys retreat held in Nairobi, organised by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, focused on discussions regarding the war in Sudan. Hala Al-Karib, regional director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, reported that 16 women had taken their own lives after being raped by the RSF. She emphasised the need for strong intervention to end the war. “Now more than ever, the African Union needs to employ its instruments and mediate on multiple levels.”
A September 2024 report by UN Women indicated that nearly 5.8 million internally displaced persons or about 54 per cent of this population, are women and girls. About three million of this group are girls under 18, who face unique protection risks.
UN Women reported that by December 2023, more than 6.7 million women, girls, boys, and men were already in need of gender-based violence services, representing a more than 100 per cent rise from 3.1 million before the conflict began. This figure was likely to be much higher, according to the UN Women.