Sudan – Drone attacks and sexual violence besiege women in El Obeid

UN Women said in a statement that access to food, health care and other basic services is severely restricted, especially in displacement sites.

As the rainy season approaches its peak next month, it is increasingly important to provide safe water to reduce the risk of waterborne diseases, which can be fatal. A cholera epidemic has already begun to spread in Sudan, with the World Health Organization recording 1,330 cases in early July.

The combination of malnutrition, which weakens the immune system and is a growing concern among women and girls, and limited access to health care services, increases their risk of serious illness and death.

UN Women indicated that it heard testimonies from women and girls in the city of Al-Obeid stating that strikes carried out by drones, which target water sources and distribution points during daylight hours, force them to wait until dark to fetch water.

Believing that darkness provides them with a degree of protection from air attacks, they are exposed to harassment, rape and other forms of sexual violence, while trying to obtain water, which is one of the most basic necessities of life and a basic human right.

Sexual violence is a weapon of war

The Commission explained that sexual violence was used as a weapon throughout the three years of war in Sudan, becoming one of its most prominent and horrific features. UN Women data shows that the number of women and girls in need of gender-based violence response services has quadrupled since the outbreak of conflict, reaching about 12.7 million women and girls in 2026.

Local women’s organizations, with support from UN Women, are a vital lifeline to the humanitarian response in Sudan, often reaching inaccessible communities and providing critical support to women and girls. However, the services of these organizations have been significantly affected by cuts in humanitarian funding.

Two-thirds of women’s organizations surveyed by UN Women in Sudan reported that safe spaces and services to address gender-based violence had been closed or significantly reduced in their communities. Half of these organizations also indicated that they will be forced to suspend their activities or close completely during the next year unless they receive urgent financial support.

Urgent calls to stop the war and protect women

UN Women renewed its call for an immediate ceasefire, paving the way for comprehensive peace talks to end the war. It also calls for ensuring safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid, full respect for the provisions of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and the provision of protection for women and girls. Perpetrators of violations must be held accountable, and survivors must be guaranteed access to justice and comprehensive and integrated support services.

The Commission stressed the need for women to be fully, safely and effectively involved in peace processes, humanitarian decision-making, and recovery and reconstruction efforts. It also stresses the importance of increasing investment in women-led organizations, as they remain one of the last lines of support and protection for women and girls throughout Sudan.