According to the U.N. children's agency, UNICEF, children as young as a year old in conflict-ravaged Sudan have been victims of rape since the beginning of 2024. This heinous act is being used as a tactic of war, with 221 children, including boys, reported to have been raped by armed men in the North African nation.
The ongoing war in Sudan, which started in April 2023 between the military and rival paramilitary forces, has resulted in over 20,000 deaths and forced more than 14 million people from their homes, leading to famine in parts of the country.
Both sides of the conflict have been accused of committing atrocities, including sexual violence and forced child marriages. UNICEF reported that an estimated 61,800 children have been internally displaced since the war began.
Of the 221 children raped, more than 30% were boys, with victims as young as infants and children under the age of 5. The cases were documented in various states across Sudan, including Gedaref, Kassala, Khartoum, and Darfur.
Survivors of these horrific acts often face challenges in reporting the crimes due to social stigma, fear of retribution, and rejection from their families. UNICEF emphasized that the reported cases are likely just the tip of the iceberg, with many more children likely having experienced similar trauma.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell condemned the use of sexual violence as a tactic of war, stating that it violates international law and laws protecting children. The SIHA Network, a nonprofit organization documenting violence against women and girls, reported that a significant percentage of conflict-related sexual violence involved girls, with disturbing accounts of rape, including a boy being raped at gunpoint while picking fruit.
Victims of these crimes often suffer from physical injuries and severe psychological trauma, with some attempting suicide. The harrowing testimonies shared by survivors paint a grim picture of the horrors they endured, including abduction, captivity, and repeated sexual assaults.
The situation in Sudan remains dire, with the need for urgent intervention to protect vulnerable children and hold perpetrators of these crimes accountable.
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