Equality Now Statement on Sexual Violence in Sudan: Urgent Call for International Action and Accountability

Equality Now expresses serious concern over the findings of the recent UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, which documents widespread, systematic sexual violence—including gang rapes, abductions, and detentions—amounting to sexual slavery. The report reveals the deliberate use of sexual violence by both state and non-state actors as a calculated weapon against civilians, disproportionately targeting women, girls, ethnic minorities, and internally displaced persons (IDPs). These actions, as in any conflict situation, constitute a grave humanitarian and human rights crisis that could amount to war crimes and they require an immediate, coordinated international response.

The UN report highlights a disturbing and widespread pattern of sexual violence that is employed to terrorize communities, dismantle resistance, and silence voices of dissent. It has also been perpetrated opportunistically in the context of high impunity. The impact of this brutality extends beyond the individuals directly targeted, creating lasting trauma that disrupts entire communities, deepens social instability, and fuels cycles of fear and marginalization. Victims, who are overwhelmingly women and girls, encounter numerous obstacles in their pursuit of justice, facing social stigmatization, insufficient healthcare support, and a lack of legal recourse. Previous barriers to reporting rape have been exacerbated by the ongoing conflict. Social stigma and isolation without psychological support has been understood to increase the trauma of victims and several suicides of victims have been reported as a consequence. Meanwhile, lack of access to healthcare facilities and personnel arising from their targeting in the conflict mean that access to timely treatment is challenging.

Despite these challenges, Sudanese activists and human rights defenders continue their work with unparalleled courage, risking personal safety to bring attention to these atrocities and advocate for justice. Their resilience is critical to ensuring that the voices of survivors are heard, and their stories are not forgotten. Equality Now stands in solidarity with these defenders, supporting their call for justice, accountability, and an end to impunity.

International Responsibility and Immediate Calls to Action

The documented sexual violence in Sudan demands an urgent and comprehensive response from the international community to stop these crimes and protect civilians. Equality Now issues the following calls to action, urging swift intervention from international actors:

1.   Work for an immediate end to hostilities and delivery of humanitarian assistance: Equality Now calls on the UN, the African Union (AU) and the League of Arab States (LAS) together with other interested and involved parties to bring a sustained end to the fighting.

2. Strengthen International Oversight and Accountability: The UN should maintain and extend its fact-finding mission to monitor and document human rights violations related to sexual violence in Sudan. This should be done in collaboration with and in support of frontline women’s rights defenders and organizations.  These efforts must be backed by the authority to investigate, report publicly, and recommend actions to ensure accountability for those responsible for ordering or committing acts of sexual violence. Such monitoring mechanisms must be consistent and resilient and reach as many conflict zones as possible to ensure no violations go unreported.

3. Facilitate Access to Justice for Survivors: The international community must prioritize pathways to justice for survivors. Equality Now urges support for creating a survivor-centered transitional justice framework that upholds accountability, allows safe reporting, and provides survivors with access to fair trials and reparations. This can be achieved in collaboration with international tribunals and by increasing support for local organizations that specialize in legal advocacy and survivor support.

4. Provide Humanitarian and Psychosocial Support to Survivors: Immediate investment is required to address the healthcare and psychosocial needs of survivors of sexual violence, including trauma counseling and access to medical care. Equality Now calls on humanitarian organizations to coordinate with local groups to expand support networks, especially in remote areas where survivors have limited access to care. The creation of one-stop centers to document allegations of sexual violence and to offer sexual and reproductive health services and psychological support might help to ensure more support of and less trauma for victims. Additionally, we urge the international community to implement safeguards to ensure that aid reaches those who need it most, without interference from warring parties.

5. Protect Human Rights Defenders: Equality Now urges international actors to implement protective measures for Sudanese Human Rights Defenders, especially those advocating against sexual violence. This includes creating safe passage routes, secure communication channels, and emergency relocation support. In particular, we urge the establishment and international funding of Emergency Response Rooms to provide defenders with a safe space to document violations, report abuses, and organize their advocacy efforts.

6. Condemn and Sanction Perpetrators of Sexual Violence: The AU, UN, LAS, and the international community at large – must take immediate steps to impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for orchestrating or condoning sexual violence in Sudan.

The crisis in Sudan is a global human rights emergency. Equality Now calls on the international community to demonstrate its commitment to justice, protect the dignity and rights of survivors, and dismantle the structures of impunity that sustain sexual violence in conflict. We must act now to hold perpetrators accountable and ensure that every survivor has access to justice, safety, and support.