The violence in Sudan has escalated over the past two months, leaving no place safe in the country. The drone war that began in April has caused nationwide power outages, severely impacting access to clean drinking water and healthcare, resulting in a widespread cholera outbreak. RSF drones have targeted electricity infrastructure in multiple states, killing dozens of people, most of whom are internally displaced persons (IDPs). In Al-Fashir, North Darfur, 179 people were killed in indiscriminate shelling in May, as civilians continue to lose their lives daily, unable to access humanitarian aid or medical care. The collapse of the health system has led to a rising death toll as cholera spreads across Khartoum and other states.
Women and girls fleeing intense fighting face heightened insecurity due to increased drone attacks in civilian areas by the RSF and aerial bombardments by the SAF. Access to sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS) is severely restricted due to power outages, shortages of medical supplies, and a lack of healthcare personnel. “I have heavy bleeding, but the doctor said they can’t perform the necessary tests because of the electricity cuts,” a woman shared at a gynecology clinic in northern Sudan. Power outages, particularly in Khartoum, have also compromised women’s and girls’ access to clean drinking water. “I’ve been drinking just one cup of water a day for the past three weeks. Water is too expensive, and it’s not safe,” said a woman in Khartoum. In response, some community kitchens in the city have begun providing drinking water with meals, recognizing that people arrive both hungry and dehydrated, according to local aid groups.
The escalating violence and systematic destruction of essential infrastructure have intensified the suffering of millions of women and girls. Survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) struggle to access necessary services, while local women’s groups face growing threats from authorities. Women volunteers and service providers working to address the humanitarian crisis are being persecuted, threatened, and harassed by SAF officials. Local women’s groups are also being pressured by SAF-led local governments to either register or cease operations in several states, including Khartoum and Kordofan.
Meanwhile, the de facto government in Port Sudan has reinstated former regime policies, targeting local NGOs and suppressing women human rights defenders (WHRDs), journalists, and activists. At least four women activists have faced detention, threats, and restrictions on their work in the past month.
As the crisis in Sudan remains largely overlooked by the international community, women and girls continue to endure hunger, diseases, and an unprecedented rise in sexual violence.
The lack of funding for civilian protection—especially for women and girls—is alarming, and access to existing resources remains limited and highly restricted for local women’s groups. Urgent international action is needed to end the conflict in Sudan, as continued silence is proving just as lethal as the weapons being used.
