Infants as young as one among victims of sexual violence in Sudan: UNICEF

1. Infants as young as one among victims of sexual violence in Sudan: UNICEF

Infants as young as one among victims of sexual violence in Sudan: UNICEF ByHT News Desk Mar 04, 2025 04:53 PM IST Share Via Copy Link A database compiled by Sudan-based groups aiding sexual violence survivours recorded 221 child cases since last year, the UN agency reported.

The UN children's agency UNICEF said on Tuesday that children under five, including infants, are among the victims of sexual violence in the war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In this photograph released by UNICEF, a 16-year rape victim rests on a mattress at a UNICEF office in Sudan, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP FILE )

A database compiled by Sudan-based groups aiding sexual violence survivours recorded 221 child cases since last year, the UN agency reported.

Among them, 16 were under five years old, including four infants aged one, while about one-third of the victims were male.

The database covers cases from across Sudan, though aid workers and rights groups believe it captures only a small portion, as stigma, fear of reprisals, and limited access to medical care hinder reporting.

Some survivors cited by UNICEF reported pregnancies due to the assaults, leading to rejection by their families and further struggles.

One woman, who was held captive with other women and girls, recalled, “After nine at night, someone opens the door, carrying a whip, selects one of the girls, and takes her to another room. I could hear the little girl crying and screaming.”

“They only release these girls at dawn, and they return almost unconscious,” she added.

UNICEF did not specify who was responsible for the child rapes but urged both warring sides to uphold international law. The RSF and the army did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“Children as young as one being raped by armed men should shock anyone to their core and compel immediate action,” UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said in a statement sent to journalists.

The conflict broke out in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the army and the RSF, derailing a planned transition to civilian rule and leading to mass displacement and a worsening hunger crisis.

A UN fact-finding mission has described the scale of sexual violence in Sudan as “staggering.” It reported that most documented cases were committed by the RSF and its allies, though reporting from army-controlled areas remained more challenging.

UN. human rights chief Volker Turk said last week that over half of the reported rape cases in Sudan were instances of gang rape, calling it “an indication that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war.”

The RSF has previously claimed it would investigate such allegations and hold those responsible accountable.