UN says 90% of women's organizations report unsafe conditions, distress among displaced from Sudan's El Fasher

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - Nine in 10 women's organizations assisting people displaced from Sudan's El Fasher report unsafe living conditions and persistent psychological distress a year after the city's fall, the UN Women said on Friday.

Anna Mutavati, UN Women's regional director for East and Southern Africa, told reporters in Geneva that a survey of 50 organizations found 45 reporting continued psychological distress among displaced women and girls, while 49 observed signs of distress.

"One year on, the scars of the violence in El Fasher have not faded," Mutavati said, citing sexual violence, missing relatives, killings and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.

She said 48 organizations reported that women were struggling to sleep because of traumatic experiences, while nine in 10 described unsafe living conditions.

Around two-thirds of the groups were aware of women or girls who had disappeared during or after the city's fall.

Mutavati said 43 organizations had encountered women or girls who received no mental health, psychosocial or legal assistance after fleeing.

She also warned of increasing drone attacks across Sudan, including in Blue Nile, Khartoum, West Kordofan, Gedaref and Kassala states, with women and children accounting for most of those killed or injured.

According to a separate assessment, 84% of 117 households surveyed in El Fasher reported that women avoided marketplaces.

Mutavati called for stronger civilian protection, accountability for abuses and improved access to essential services, while emphasizing the role of women-led organizations in supporting affected communities.

The civil war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in April 2023. It has since displaced more than 14 million people and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Beyza Binnur Dönmez