Darfur Sexual Violence: Women & Girls at Risk
- A surge in sexual violence plagues Sudan’s darfur region as militias run rampant, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
- In South darfur alone, MSF workers treated 659 survivors of sexual violence between January and March of this year.
- Claire San Filippo, MSF emergency coordinator, emphasized the pervasive fear among women and girls.
Sexual Violence Surges in Darfur, Sudan Amid Conflict
Updated June 01, 2025
A surge in sexual violence plagues Sudan’s darfur region as militias run rampant, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The medical charity reports alarming numbers of women facing constant threats.
In South darfur alone, MSF workers treated 659 survivors of sexual violence between January and March of this year. More than two-thirds of these cases involved rape.
Claire San Filippo, MSF emergency coordinator, emphasized the pervasive fear among women and girls. “Women and girls do not feel safe anywhere,” San Filippo said, urging warring parties to hold their fighters accountable. “They are attacked in their own homes, when fleeing violence, getting food, collecting firewood, working in the fields. They tell us they feel trapped.”
MSF also noted that 56% of documented sexual violence was perpetrated by non-civilians. Women and girls traveling long distances for food and water are particularly vulnerable, with a third of attacks occurring while traveling to or working in fields.
Since April 2023, Darfur has experienced increased human rights abuses as the Rapid support Forces (RSF) paramilitary and allied militias battle the Sudanese armed forces for control. Recent fighting has centered around El Fasher,leading to rapidly deteriorating conditions for civilians.The RSF’s seizure of the Zamzam displacement camp has further fueled reports of increased sexual violence.
The Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (Siha), a coalition of women’s rights groups, has verified 14 cases of rape during and after the Zamzam attack. They have also received numerous reports of women disappearing or being abducted by RSF fighters.
“these attacks are heinous and cruel, often involving multiple perpetrators. This must stop. Sexual violence is not a natural or inevitable result of war, it can constitute a war crime, a form of torture, and a crime against humanity.”
“Sexual violence has become an everyday reality for women and girls in Darfur, along with the rise in sexually transmitted diseases… The level of neglect toward women in Darfur is staggering. This region is experiencing active genocidal acts, horrific war crimes, and famine due to a siege on livelihoods by all actors. There is no dedicated support for women survivors … this crisis is unfolding amid complete silence and utter neglect from international actors.”
What’s next
The international community faces mounting pressure to address the escalating crisis and provide essential support to the vulnerable women and girls in Darfur, where sexual violence and human rights abuses continue to surge.