Broken lives, resilient souls: the price of conflict for Sudanese women

A report published on October 23 by the UN Human Rights Council states that as a result conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Reaction Force (RSF). Another issue highlighted in the report is the devastating impact of the conflict in Sudan on women. As both the report and many journalists have recently noted, conflict in Sudan also plays out through women’s bodies. Sudanese women are victims of severe sexual violence by SAF and RSF forces and even by some non-governmental organization (NGO) workers who go to the region to provide aid. In particular, many displaced women, forced to leave their families and seek refuge in refugee camps, are victims of sexual assault and harassment. As a result, this was the case recently was reported in the press that many women committed suicide during the conflict in Sudan.

Sudanese women are not only at risk of rape and harassment during the conflict. Raped women are usually killed by male family members to “cleanse the shame.” Those who are not killed face intense psychological and sociological pressure. Many women who were raped as a “tactic of war” and became pregnant as a result are trying to survive difficult conditions for themselves and their children.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is currently supporting 49 centers across the country to intervene and prevent rising sexual violence against women in Sudan. On the other hand, over 1,200 women have benefited from sexual health consultations at health centers in the region, with the support of the UN and countries such as Canada, Sweden, the UK and the US. However, despite all these efforts, Sudanese women remain scarred by the spiral of violence into which the country has fallen.

Terrorized women in Africa

The problematic situation that Sudanese women have been experiencing for 18 months actually affects women in many African countries that have been struggling with civil war, conflicts and terrorism for many years. For example, a terrorist organization Boko Haramwhich has been operating in northeast Nigeria and neighboring countries since 2002, has a very negative impact on women. During Boko Haram’s activities, thousands of women and girls were abducted, forced to marry militants or turned into sex slaves. The kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Chibok in 2014 is one of the most characteristic examples of women being targeted by this organization. In fact, kidnapping was so high on the international agenda that a #BringBackOurGirls campaign was launched, supported by then-US President Barack Obama and his wife. Although over time some of the girls were rescued in exchange for Boko Haram fighters in prison, over 100 are still missing. The missing girls are believed to have been forced to marry Boko Haram terrorists in the Sambisa forest or sold as sex slaves.

In the environment of terror and conflict in Africa, women are not only victims of sexual violence. Women on the continent are also exploited by terrorist and criminal organizations for operational purposes. Although women, who are often forcefully recruited into organizations, are often the weakest link in the organization’s structure, they can usually play a key role in achieving its strategic goals.

In recent years, terrorist organizations have increasingly used women to carry out attacks and gather intelligence because they are less likely to arouse suspicion, pass checkpoints more easily, or conceal weapons and bombs more easily because of the way they dress. In Nigeria, for example, in June 2019, a Boko Haram suicide bomber attacked a crowd watching a soccer match in Borno State, killing almost 30 people. In July 2024, another Boko Haram suicide bomber infiltrated a wedding reception in Gwoza, killing 32 people.

Socio-economic results

In addition, growing insecurity caused by civil wars and terrorism in Africa has forced millions of women to flee their homes. There are currently approximately 30 million internally displaced people and refugees living in Africa. This represents almost one third of all internally displaced people in the world. Most of the displaced people live in camps in countries with serious security problems, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Nigeria. Many women living in these camps face inadequate health conditions, lack of access to reproductive health services and the risk of sexual exploitation.

Women living in the shadow of conflict and terror in Africa are losing economic freedom due to security problems and bearing the burden of supporting their families. In societies where men are killed or engaged in armed conflict, economic and social responsibility falls to women. Women usually engage in farming and livestock farming to ensure the survival of war-torn communities. However, work in these sectors is usually carried out in difficult conditions due to lack of infrastructure and security risks. For example, attacks by the terrorist organization Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria have disrupted economic activities such as agriculture and trade. In the absence of abducted men or young people who have joined the organization, women are forced to engage in small-scale farming or trading under threat of attack by the organization in order to support their families. However, these women’s economic opportunities are typically limited in areas controlled by the organization, further perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

The impact of ongoing terrorism and civil conflict on women in Africa highlights the deep connection between gender inequality and conflict-related humanitarian crises. From Sudan to Nigeria, from Somalia to the Central African Republic, women are victims of not only physical but also psychological and social violence. In particular, the use of rape as a war tactic profoundly shakes not only women’s bodies, but also the fabric of communities. The sexual violence, exploitation and socio-economic deprivation experienced by women have a lasting impact on family structures, cultural ties and local communities across the continent.

Despite this tragedy, women often bear the burden of families and communities struggling with crises. It is essential that efforts to strengthen the social and economic role of women in conflict zones become a key priority for humanitarian efforts. The establishment of health and support centers by the UN and others in Sudan to prevent sexual violence against women is an important first step. However, it is clear that more comprehensive international cooperation is needed to ensure the sustainability of such steps and to protect women’s rights. Indeed, alleviating women’s suffering and restoring human dignity in conditions of conflict will be an important step towards global peace and security.