The United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, reported on Tuesday that children under five, including infants, as young as one, have been victims of sexual violence amid the ongoing conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Among the victims, 16 were younger than five years old, including four infants just a year old, with approximately one-third of the total victims being male. The data, collected from various regions across Sudan, is believed to represent only a fraction of the actual cases, as stigma, fear of retaliation, and restricted access to medical care hinder reporting.
According to UNICEF, some survivors became pregnant as a result of the assaults, leading to rejection by their families and additional hardships. A woman who had been held captive alongside other women and girls described the horrors they endured: “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.” She further added that the girls were only released at dawn, returning in a near-unconscious state.
While UNICEF did not attribute responsibility for the child rapes, it called on both warring factions to adhere to international law. The RSF and Sudanese army have yet to 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,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a statement.
The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the army and the RSF, has derailed Sudan’s transition to civilian rule, displaced large populations, and exacerbated the hunger crisis.
A UN fact-finding mission has described the extent of sexual violence in Sudan as “staggering,” noting that most reported cases have been linked to the RSF and its allies. However, gathering data from army-controlled areas remains particularly challenging.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk recently stated that over half of the reported rape cases in Sudan involved gang rape, suggesting that sexual violence is being systematically used as a weapon of war.
The RSF has previously stated that it would investigate such allegations and ensure those responsible are held accountable.
