Sudan Media Forum: ‘Women forced to trade sex for survival’

Sudan Media Forum*: Joint Editorial Room

Prepared and edited by Sudan Tribune

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As Sudan’s war continues to devastate lives, women are resorting to extreme measures to survive. Displacement, poverty, and the collapse of protective mechanisms have left many with no choice but to use their bodies to feed their families.

Salma El Taher, a pseudonym for a 20-year-old woman, fled South Kordofan with her family only to face further hardship in Khartoum. Her father was killed during the conflict in Kadugli in 2011. Years later, an airstrike in 2023 claimed her mother’s life as she worked selling tea to sustain the family.

“After my mother was killed, I found myself responsible for supporting and securing the lives of my brother and sister, without the ability to work that my mother did to feed us. I could only have sex with rapid support soldiers and other residents for money,” she continued.

Salma added that she earns little but persists to deter her 15-year-old brother from joining the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). “I tell him I work in my mother’s place selling tea in the Central Market.”

Reports indicate the destruction of livelihoods in rural and urban areas has pushed families to extreme measures. These include marrying off girls to fighters in conflict zones and children joining armed groups in exchange for food.

‘Married off’

In El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, aid workers from eight international organisations confirmed cases of girls being forced to marry fighters to survive.

Khaled Ibrahim, also using a pseudonym, shared his experience. After losing his job due to the conflict and fleeing to the Zamzam camp, he married off his 16-year-old daughter to a fighter.

“I used to sell vegetables in the El Fasher Market, but after the outbreak of war in the city as of May 10, 2024, I became unemployed.”, he states. With the continued artillery shelling, Ibrahim was forced to move to the Zamzam camp next to the city.

He explained that he married off his youngest daughter out of desperation. He said that he married the youngest of his girls to a fighter, due to his “inability to protect and feed her”.

Lack of protection

The director of Women and Child Protection Unit of Sudan’s Ministry of Social Affairs, Seleima Ishag, acknowledged the exploitation linked to the ongoing conflict. “We expect this to happen in the war,” Ishag said. Her unit is working to document cases of sexual exploitation and abuse, even in areas deemed safe.

She said that the Ministry of Interior issued decisions to establish offices in the states of Kassala, El Gedaref and White Nile, to increase protection mechanisms, stressing that women “do not report cases of exploitation in the absence of a mechanism to help them.”

Efforts are underway to form protection committees in shelters, train workers, and document violations.

The unit refrains from disclosing information about violations in RSF-controlled areas to protect residents from retaliation.

The United Nations and human rights organisations have accused the RSF of widespread sexual violence and exploitation, with numerous reports of rape and abuse emerging.

Volunteers in active conflict zones, including Khartoum and Darfur, are trying to provide food. However, restrictions by warring parties and limited resources leave many without help.

For millions trapped by the war, hunger, malnutrition, and exploitation are becoming daily realities as Sudan’s conflict grinds on.

This report was prepared in partnership with the Sudanese Media Forum’s member organisations.

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*The Sudan Media Forum is a coalition of independent media outlets and organisations including:

– Dabanga – Radio / TV / Online

– Sudanese Journalists Syndicate

– Sudan Tribune

– Al-Tayar newspaper

– Aljreeda Newspaper

– Sudan-Bukra Media Org

– Altaghyeer newspaper

– Ayin Network

– Alrakoba.net

– Sudanile.com

– Journalists for Human Rights – JHR – Sudan

– Female Journalists Network-Sudan

– The Democrat Newspaper

– Hala Radio – 96 FM

– Radio (PRO FM) 106.6

– Medameek newspaper

– Darfur 24

– Al-Ayam Center for Cultural Studies and Development

– Teeba Press

– Alalg Center for Press Service

– Sudanese Center for Research, Training, and Development Services

– Article Center for Training and Media Production

– mashaweer-news.com

– Sudans Reporters

– Televzyon Platform