Geneva – 24 March 2026
The Committee for Justice (CFJ) organized a high‑level side event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva titled “Sudan in Crisis: Protection and Accountability Through Strengthening Synergy Between UN and African Mechanisms”, held on the margins of the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council. The event provided a shared platform bringing together UN Special Procedures, African Commission representatives, and Sudanese civil society organizations to discuss the escalating human rights crisis in Sudan.
Panel Moderator: Grave Human Rights Violations Since the Outbreak of the Armed Conflict
Awa Baldé, member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, noted that the armed conflict in Sudan has resulted in grave human rights violations and severe humanitarian consequences, including patterns of unlawful killings, indiscriminate attacks, conflict‑related sexual violence, enforced disappearance, and widespread forced displacement.
She emphasized that victims and survivors face urgent protection needs, while pathways to accountability remain fragmented and difficult to access. Baldé added that the side event was designed to provide a focused platform built on a victim‑centered approach, aimed at strengthening protection mechanisms and enhancing accountability processes.
She stressed that cooperation between UN and African mechanisms, alongside civil society organizations, constitutes a critical step toward ensuring a more comprehensive and effective response to ongoing violations in Sudan.
African Commission Chair: Situation in Sudan Extremely Alarming
Commissioner Idrissa Sow, Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), stated that the Commission continues to receive credible reports of sexual violence, arbitrary arrests, and widespread humanitarian suffering. He called for activating civilian‑protection mechanisms and ending impunity, noting that the Commission has developed a roadmap to strengthen justice and regional oversight.
UN Fact‑Finding Mission: Evidence of Genocide in El Fasher
Dr. Mona Rishmawi, Member of the UN Independent International Fact‑Finding Mission on Sudan, presented the Mission’s findings, which concluded that there are strong indicators of genocide in El Fasher, documenting:
- Large‑scale mass killings
- Ethnically targeted sexual violence
- Forced displacement and deliberate starvation
- Destruction of health infrastructure
- Enforced disappearances and extortion
Rishmawi confirmed that the Mission has already identified several perpetrators and is working with international judicial bodies to ensure accountability, warning of the risk of these crimes spreading to other regions.
ACHPR Vice‑Chair: Hundreds of Testimonies and Severe Violations
Commissioner Hatem El Essaiem, Vice‑Chairperson of the ACHPR and head of its fact‑finding mission on Sudan, presented the work of the African Mission, which collected:
- 28 written reports
- 38 interviews with victims and witnesses
- Documentation from the Sudanese diaspora
- Open‑source data and metadata analysis
He stated that the Mission’s upcoming report documents widespread massacres, sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, and ethnically targeted attacks that led to massive displacement, while underscoring the severe logistical challenges faced by the Mission, including being denied entry to Sudan.
ACHPR Commissioner: Largest Displacement Crisis in the Region’s History
Commissioner Salma Al‑Sassi, Commissioner of the ACHPR and the African Fact‑Finding Mission, stated that Sudan is experiencing one of the largest displacement crises in the region’s history, with over 11 million internally displaced persons and 4 million refugees fleeing to neighboring countries.
She explained that displacement is a direct result of widespread violations, including attacks on civilians, destruction, ethnic targeting, and sexual violence. She called for:
- Immediate cessation of attacks
- Opening safe humanitarian corridors
- Ensuring access to aid and protection
UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls: Sexual Violence Used as a Tool of Ethnic Cleansing
Dr. Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, presented harrowing testimonies—following her visit to Port Sudan—on the scale of violations against women. She highlighted:
- Sexual violence used as a weapon of war and tool of ethnic cleansing
- Gang rape
- Killing, enslavement, and trafficking
- Forced and child marriage
- Enforced disappearance of women and girls
Alsalem warned that children born as a result of rape lack sufficient protection and called for a comprehensive national strategy to address these crimes, combat stigma, and support survivors.
Call for a Special Court for Sudan
Musbah Issa, Co‑Founder and Program Director at the Sudanese organization AWAFY, stressed the need for increased financial and technical support for fact‑finding missions. He called for the establishment of a special or hybrid court for Sudan, integrating international, regional, and national legal expertise to ensure accountability.
He also emphasized the need to support Sudanese civil society organizations operating under extreme risk and to strengthen cooperation and evidence‑sharing between mechanisms to close documentation gaps.
Conclusion
The event concluded by emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen coordination between UN and African human rights mechanisms, provide sustained support for fact‑finding missions, ensure civilian protection, and pave the way for meaningful accountability. Participants also highlighted the essential role played by civil society in documenting violations and supporting survivors.
A full recording of the event is available at: