Sudan Friends: Conversation & Connection
- As the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continues, Sudanese women are facing increased gendered violence and displacement.
- Raga Makawi, a Sudanese editor and researcher, said that the conflict has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities for women.
- The conflict limits women's access to essential resources and healthcare.
News from Sudan reveals that women are bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict, facing escalating gendered violence and displacement. This devastating crisis, stemming from the fighting between the sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, has created unprecedented challenges for Sudanese women. Access to essential resources, healthcare, and safety is severely limited due to existing vulnerabilities exacerbated by the crisis. Learn how Sudanese women activists are bravely navigating these challenges, offering crucial support through kinship systems and political networks, frequently enough independently of state and international assistance. News Directory 3 is committed to keeping you informed about these critically important stories. Discover what’s next in the heart of Sudan.
Sudan Conflict: Women face gendered violence, displacement
As the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continues, Sudanese women are facing increased gendered violence and displacement. The fighting, which began in April 2025, has created the world’s largest displacement crisis, with nearly 13 million people forced to flee their homes.
Raga Makawi, a Sudanese editor and researcher, said that the conflict has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities for women. According to Makawi, a long history of financial, legal, and economic dispossession has created meaningful challenges for women trying to escape the violence. Many are unable to leave due to male guardianship laws or lack of resources.
The conflict limits women’s access to essential resources and healthcare. Insecurity restricts their movement, making it arduous to obtain food, escape conflict zones, or seek medical assistance. Even within displaced communities, women struggle to access limited infrastructure and maintain personal hygiene.
Makawi noted that women are also facing gendered violence, including sexual violence. She cited reports of the RSF using rape as a weapon of war.
I do know that a lot of Sudanese women activists are taking on so much work to try and protect,secure and provide for women in need.and this is obviously done through extended kinship systems but also through political networks that have emerged out of the revolution.
Despite these challenges,sudanese women activists are working to protect and support women in need. These efforts are often carried out through kinship systems and political networks that emerged from the revolution. Makawi emphasized the importance of these social and political formations, which operate independently of the state and international community.
Makawi referenced the work of women-led street vendor collectives in Khartoum, who have mobilized a politics of care to support each other in the face of violence and deprivation. She said that these women are pushing back against international efforts to control resources and demonstrating the meaning of local, community-based initiatives.
makawi said that politics happen in every interaction, not just at the state level. She said that Sudanese women are helping each other in various ways, even with limited resources, by communicating their fears and ideas.
What’s next
The ongoing conflict in Sudan requires continued attention to the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women.Support for local women-led initiatives and networks is crucial for providing protection, resources, and healthcare to those affected by the crisis.