UNICEF: Over 200 Children, Including Infants, Subjected to Sexual Violence

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The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has reported that hundreds of children, including infants, have been subjected to sexual assault.

According to the international organization, 221 cases of child rape have been recorded since the beginning of 2024, based on data collected by service providers assisting survivors of sexual violence. However, UNICEF emphasized that these figures represent only a fraction of the actual number. The organization noted that survivors and their families often do not report such incidents or are unable to do so due to limited access to services and frontline workers, fear of stigma, fear of being rejected by their families or communities, fear of retaliation by armed groups, or concerns about information leaks.

Providing further details, UNICEF revealed that among the 221 reported cases of child rape, 147 victims were girls, accounting for 66% of the total. The fact that 33% of survivors were boys is also significant, as they often face stigma, unique challenges in reporting abuse, and difficulties in seeking help and accessing services.

"What is shocking and deeply distressing is that 16 of the survivors are under the age of five, including four infants who are just one year old," the organization stated.

The reported cases span nine different Sudanese states across the south, north, east, and west of the country. Additionally, 77 more cases of sexual assault against children have been documented, most of which involved attempted rape.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell condemned the situation, stating:
"The fact that infants as young as one year old are being raped by armed men is an atrocity that should shake every person to their core and compel immediate action. Millions of children in Sudan are at risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence, used as a tactic of war. This is a horrific violation of international law and may amount to a war crime. It must stop."

The organization further highlighted that the brutality of such violence, along with the fear of experiencing it, is forcing women and girls to flee their homes and families, seeking refuge in other cities. Many end up in informal displacement sites or resource-strapped host communities, where the risk of sexual violence remains high, particularly for displaced children.