11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Darfur: Women remain vulnerable to abuse and rape but often do not report their cases to police for fear of punishment or arrest for "illegal pregnancy" ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23231]

"Women in Darfur were vulnerable to abuse and rape.

Many victims did not report their cases either to family or authorities for fear they would be punished or arrested for "illegal pregnancy."

Despite a 2005 decree that waived the requirement for rape victims to file a police report before receiving medical treatment, some local authorities continued to require the report.

According to the UN and several international NGOs, many local police were unaware of the new policy.

Many women distrusted the police, and few victims actually filed reports.

The police arrested unmarried pregnant women who claimed to have been raped.

Unless a rape victim could provide proof of the crime, she could be charged with the capital offense of adultery.

The punishment for rape under the law varies from 100 lashes to 10 years' imprisonment to death. Spousal rape is not addressed.

In most rape cases convictions were not publicized; however, observers believed that sentences often were less than the legal maximum."

Document(s): Open document

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

There are no laws prohibiting domestic violence; violence against women remains common, police normally does not intervene in domestic disputes ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23232]

"There are no laws specifically prohibiting domestic violence.

Violence, including spousal abuse, against women was common, although there were no reliable statistics on its prevalence.

Women who filed claims were subjected to accusations of lying or spreading false information, harassment, or detention, which made many women reluctant to file formal complaints, although such abuse constituted grounds for divorce.

The police normally did not intervene in domestic disputes.

The government launched its Violence Against Women Action Plan in 2005; the program included awareness posters and a media campaign of zero tolerance for violence against women, increased the number of female police officers, and expanded training for police in Darfur.

Southern women displaced by the north/south conflict were vulnerable to harassment, rape, and sexual abuse, particularly during informal repatriation to their place of origin [...]."

Document(s): Open document

11.2007 - Source: Refugees International

Darfur: Report on sexual violence (overview of the crisis, evolving nature of sexual violence, impact of rape, emerging issues like physical protection for women and health response) ("Ending Sexual Violence in Darfur: An Advocacy Agenda") [ID 21947]

Document(s): Open document

29.08.2007 - Source: UN Security Council

Rape and grave sexual violence in Southern Sudan (July 2006 - July 2007) ("Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Sudan [S/2007/520]") [ID 21580]

"There were six confirmed cases of rape reported [...], with responsibility attributed to members of armed forces or groups.

For example, in March 2007, a girl 7 years of age was allegedly raped by an SPLA soldier in Unity State. In this instance, the soldier is in detention pending a court appearance.

However, cases of alleged violations by SPLA perpetrators are rarely investigated or prosecuted."

Document(s): Open document

29.08.2007 - Source: UN Security Council

Rape and grave sexual violence in Darfur (July 2006 - July 2007) ("Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Sudan [S/2007/520]") [ID 21582]

"In Darfur, rape is widespread and used as weapon of war.

It is clear that the problem extends far beyond the few cases that have been confirmed.

Generally, perpetrators are armed men, often in uniform, targeting internally displaced persons or village women and girls on their way to and from livelihood activities.

In many incidents, victims identified perpetrators as elements of SAF, the central reserve police and the Janjaweed.

Unidentified armed men have allegedly committed rape in a number of other incidents.

Increasingly, the trend in Darfur seems to indicate that younger girls are being specifically targeted for rape.

There were also five boys among 62 confirmed reports of rape during the year.

26. On 15 April 2007, two girls, ages 10 and 12, from Northern Darfur, returning home from working on a farm, were approached by two armed soldiers dressed in green khaki uniforms. One soldier pushed the 12-year-old girl to the ground and raped her while the other continued beating the 10-year-old. Upon seeing a group of internally displaced persons approaching, the soldiers reportedly quickly escaped southward in the direction of the SAF military camp in nearby Umm Dereisa.

Two SLA (Minawi) soldiers raped a 12-year-old girl at Taradona in Northern Darfur on 15 October 2006. She was brutally attacked and beaten. The allegation was confirmed and attributed to SLA (Minawi).

In September 2006, it was confirmed that four SAF soldiers raped a girl 16 years of age in Eastern Jebel Marra. The attack was carried out in the presence of the girl's six-month-old son, who was born as a result of an earlier rape.

These rape cases reflect the daily atrocities to which girls are subjected, many of which occur when girls are fetching water, collecting firewood or performing other such domestic chores.

[...] In Darfur, investigation and prosecution of the crime of rape is very rare. Many cases go unreported owing to the stigma attached to the survivor. The justice system in Darfur is very weak.

During the reporting period, there were three cases recorded that involved two central reserve police officers and one SAF soldier who were prosecuted for the alleged rape of children as young as 13 years of age."

Document(s): Open document

29.08.2007 - Source: UN Security Council

Action plans, workshops and measures against gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, and other violations of children's rights ("Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Sudan [S/2007/520]") [ID 21619]

"[...] In my first report, on sexual violence against girls and women in Darfur and on the responsibility of national authorities to deal proactively with that issue, state committees to deal with sexual and gender-based violence have been established.

Through the committees, representatives of the United Nations have worked to promote access to medical services, justice for survivors and capacity-building for key government representatives.

However, the committees do not yet function effectively, mainly owing to the continued denial of sexual and gender-based violence as a major issue in Darfur by the Government of the Sudan.

Likewise, two joint task forces on sexual exploitation and abuse established in February 2007 in Northern and Southern Sudan are yet to become fully operational. [...]

In January 2007, the National Council for Child Welfare organized a one-day workshop in Khartoum jointly with UNMIS, UNICEF and AMIS on the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. The workshop included many presentations on current systems in place for addressing sexual abuse and exploitation.

In the same month, the Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan held a public meeting in Juba with UNMIS and UNICEF that set up a similar sexual abuse and exploitation task force for Southern Sudan, and also inaugurated a public information campaign on the issue. [...]

In Khartoum, a child and family protection unit was established within the State Police in January 2007 with the support of UNICEF. The unit, which offers various child-friendly services, including legal aid and psychosocial support, has assisted more than 400 children that have been victims of abuse and sexual and gender-based violence in a six-month period.

The same process has been initiated in Western Darfur, Ghedaref and Kassala.

Of particular note during the reporting period is the initiative by the Western Darfur Police, who held a two-day workshop to discuss a draft child-friendly plan for that unit. The plan will be a cross-sectoral initiative, with support from various service providers, including social workers, health officials and psychosocial support.

In addition, the Western Darfur parliament also held a two-day workshop to discuss a model law for child protection, which includes issues of relevance to resolution 1612 (2005). [...]

Child protection working groups are active in all three states of Darfur and in an additional nine states in Northern Sudan.

The groups coordinate child protection response at the state level in order to maximize the impact of child protection programming. [...]

In Southern Sudan, the Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare and Religious Affairs has established child protection working groups in all states with the support of relevant Government departments, non-governmental organizations and United Nations entities.

The first meetings of the child protection groups were held in Juba, Malakal and Wau in February 2007 to discuss workplans, identify areas of concerns for child protection in Southern Sudan and analyse gaps in services provided to children."

Document(s): Open document

08.2007 - Source: Asylum Aid

Article on British authorities assessing the risk of FGM; information on FGM, domestic violence, forced marriage and other forms of violence against women ("FGM in Sudan – A Country Guidance Case") [ID 24342]

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Violence against women remains common in 2006; no laws specifically prohibit domestic violence ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19836]

"There were no laws specifically prohibiting domestic violence. Violence, including spousal abuse, against women was common, although there were no reliable statistics on its prevalence. Women who filed claims were subjected to accusations of lying or spreading false information, harassment, or detention, which made many women reluctant to file formal complaints, although such abuse constituted grounds for divorce. The police normally did not intervene in domestic disputes. The government launched its Violence Against Women Action Plan in November 2005; the program included awareness posters and a media campaign of zero tolerance for violence against women, increased the number of female police officers, and expanded training for police in Darfur."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Law does not specifically prohibit sexual harassment; frequent reports of sexual harassment by police ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19840]

"While no law specifically prohibits sexual harassment, the law does prohibit gross indecency, which is defined as any act contrary to another person's modesty. The penalty for gross indecency is imprisonment of up to one year and 40 lashes. Harassment reportedly occurred, although reliable statistics were not available. There were frequent reports of sexual harassment by police in Darfur and elsewhere."

Document(s): Open document