Lead
As the conflict in Sudan grinds into its fourth year, a new assessment by the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) has found that three-quarters of women in displacement settings feel unsafe. The findings, based on discussions with nearly 1,000 women and girls across 16 of Sudan's 18 states, paint a stark picture of pervasive danger and unmet needs.
Coverage Comparison
Reporting from two outlets carrying the UNFPA briefing, both run the story with a humanitarian crisis angle, emphasizing the ongoing threats to women and girls. Each source highlights the same key statistics and quotes from UNFPA Country Representative Fabrizia Falcione, who briefed journalists in New York. The tone is consistent: concerned and urgent, with a focus on the lived experiences of displaced women and the challenges they face in seeking safety and justice.
Key Claims
The most striking figure from the assessment is that 76% of women aged 25 to 49 reported feeling unsafe "in the displacement camps and sites, but also outside the camps: in markets, water points, in firewood collection areas, roads and streets," according to Ms. Falcione, speaking from Khartoum. She noted that this sense of insecurity was especially acute at night, for instance when women needed to use latrines in the camps.
"No matter where, they feel unsafe, and it's not about a few incidents or a few locations," she said, as quoted in both reports.
The assessment, based on 95 focus group discussions, also found that women and girls "are telling a consistent story of continued experience of danger, and risks for gender-based violence" — both while fleeing to safety and after arriving at displacement camps. Ms. Falcione described the road to safety as "actually not safe at all," with women facing "harassment, sexual violence, all types of physical violence, shortage of food and water."
Reporting these incidents remains difficult, according to the UNFPA official, due to stigma, fear of retaliation, financial constraints, and the distance to service providers. This compounds the vulnerability of women who have often been displaced multiple times and have "suffered enormous violence or witnessed violence being suffered by their families and community members."
Despite these hardships, the assessment found that three-quarters of women prioritize economic empowerment and livelihoods. They are asking for opportunities, income-generating activities, and access to basic services and health care.
Perspectives
UNFPA is already operating 88 safe spaces for women and girls across Sudan, where, as Ms. Falcione explained, women can "find courage to speak up, talk about the violence they've suffered and receive services." However, the scale of the need — with conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces showing no signs of abating — suggests that much more support is required.
The story of Sudan's women is one of both vulnerability and resilience. While they face overwhelming dangers in displacement, their clear articulation of economic needs points to a desire not just for immediate safety but for a sustainable future. Yet, as long as the war continues, the prospects for such a future remain distant.