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As the largest umbrella organisation of women’s rights groups in Europe, the EWL calls on all international actors to uphold international humanitarian law and to ensure the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2736, together with the UN Resolution 1325 (2000) and its agenda on Women, Peace and Security.
Two years after the outbreak of the devastating conflict in Sudan, over 14 million people—more than a quarter of the population—have been forcibly displaced, making Sudan the world’s worst displacement crisis, ahead of Syria, the DRC, and Ukraine, according to the United Nations.
Children and women are the primary victims of this conflict. According to UNICEF, “More than 15 million children now need humanitarian aid—double the number at the start of 2023.” Over 460,000 children face life-threatening acute malnutrition.
The situation is further compounded by systematic and widespread sexual violence, which has been used as a weapon of war. According to UNICEF, there are confirmed reports of children as young as one being raped by armed men. As Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, warns: “This alone should freeze us with horror and compel immediate action. The use of sexual violence as a weapon of war is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”
Women and girls are fleeing their homes only to face renewed threats in informal settlements and under-resourced communities. According to UNFPA, tens of thousands of women will give birth in the coming months with little to no medical assistance, due to the collapse of health infrastructure.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, recently declared:“The continued use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Sudan is profoundly shocking. Urgent action is needed to stop it, bring perpetrators to justice, and provide redress to survivors.”
The international community’s silence and inaction have been widely condemned.
The EWL urges all parties to allow humanitarian actors, aid, and assistance to reach Sudan. Ask all international actors to publicly recognize the sexual violence crisis in Sudan and respond with urgency and resources. EWL urges all parties to the conflict and those with influence over them to ensure immediate cessation of hostilities and full humanitarian access.
We urge EU authorities, namely European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, European Council President António Costa, and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, and all other relevant actors to demand an immediate ceasefire, an immediate increase in humanitarian funding, and prioritizing protection for women and children.
We ask the UN and regional actors to take decisive steps to end impunity for crimes of sexual violence and ensure justice and reparations for survivors.
