Radwan Noesar , the expert on the human rights situation in Sudan, appointed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a statement on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, observed annually on 19 June, warning of the tragic and widespread prevalence of sexual violence across Sudan as the war enters its third year.
In his statement, Noesar affirmed that sexual violence leaves permanent scars on individuals, families, and entire communities, pointing out the repeated failure of conflict parties to prevent such violations, noting that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented at least 368 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence since the outbreak of war, as of 31 May 2025, involving more than 521 victims.
The statement clarified that these incidents include rape — some of which are gang rapes — often targeting displaced women and girls, and frequently accompanied by ethnic hatred, indicating that more than 70% of the documented incidents were attributed to the Rapid Support Forces militia, though the actual number is believed to be much higher due to hundreds of unreported cases resulting from social stigma, fear of retaliation, and the collapse of medical and judicial infrastructure in several areas.
The statement also highlighted testimonies from survivors, revealing extreme levels of brutality and recurring patterns of sexual violence, including rape committed in front of family members, abduction followed by sexual violence, exploitation through trafficking networks, and attacks targeting activists, including those working to document these violations.
Noesar stressed that women and girls did not start the war; yet they continue to bear its heavy cost, affirming that sexual violence in armed conflicts constitutes a severe human rights emergency and a dire humanitarian crisis, affecting not only the victims but also children born of rape and even entire future generations, while perpetrators remain largely unpunished.
The UN expert called for an immediate halt to the use of sexual violence as a weapon in the ongoing conflict, warning of its long-term devastating effects on the physical, mental, and reproductive health of survivors, and how it tears apart the social fabric of entire communities. He also emphasized the necessity of ensuring full protection for everyone, regardless of gender or age, and the need to hold perpetrators of these crimes accountable through national and international judicial mechanisms.
In conclusion, Noesar called on all parties to the conflict and the international community to take urgent action to stop the violence, hold those responsible accountable regardless of their positions or affiliations, ensure that survivors receive the necessary medical, psychological, and social support, and prevent the recurrence of such atrocities in the future.