March 2026- Women in Darfur, Sudan, are calling for protection, medical support, and justice as sexual violence continues to affect communities both within and beyond active conflict zones, according to a new report released by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
The report, “There is something I want to tell you”: Surviving the sexual violence crisis in Darfur, presents one of the most detailed accounts of abuse during the ongoing war in Darfur. It draws on survivor testimonies and data from MSF medical programmes, pointing to consistent patterns of widespread and systematic sexual violence.
Between January 2024 and November 2025, at least 3,396 survivors sought treatment at MSF-supported facilities across North and South Darfur. However, the organization noted that this figure likely represents only a small portion of the actual number, as many victims are unable to safely access medical care. Women and girls made up 97 percent of those treated.
The findings also indicate that fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias are responsible for much of the abuse. Following the RSF’s capture of El Fasher on 26 October 2025, more than 140 survivors reached Tawila in November seeking care. Among them, 94 percent reported being attacked by armed men, often while attempting to flee. Survivors described assaults carried out by multiple perpetrators, frequently in front of family members.
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“Sexual violence is a defining feature of this conflict — not confined to frontlines, but pervasive across communities,” says Ruth Kauffman, MSF emergency health manager. “This war is being fought on the backs and bodies of women and girls. Displacement, collapsing community support systems, lack of access to healthcare, and deep-rooted gender inequalities, are allowing these abuses to continue across Sudan.”
MSF calls on all parties to the conflict – including the RSF and their supporters – to cease and prevent sexual violence and hold perpetrators accountable. MSF also call on the United Nations, donors and humanitarian actors to urgently scale up health and protection services in Darfur and all of Sudan.
Read More: https://www.msf.org/msf-report-finds-no-safe-places-women-and-girls-darfur
