Imagine walking day and night to escape gunfire. Take your child in your arms and guide them through the darkness to avoid drone attacks. No food, no water, no safe place.
This is the reality for families in Darfur and across Sudan. Civilians are trapped, targeted and terrorized as the country’s brutal war enters its third year. Entire communities in El Fasher and other parts of Darfur were under siege. Those who try to escape will be attacked. Those who survive face starvation, violence, and disease.
Behind these headlines are the women and children who suffer the most. Sexual violence is systematically used to punish, terrorize and destroy. Women and girls are kidnapped, forced to work for armed groups during the day, and assaulted at night, often in front of strangers. Many of the survivors are children. Some girls who become pregnant through rape are too young and malnourished to feed their babies.
Perpetrators no longer try to hide their crimes. Violence is so prevalent that recording and documenting incidents can be deadly. In Tawila, North Darfur, only one clinic, run by Médecins Sans Frontières, can provide care for rape victims.
Boys are also caught up in the conflict. Over the past 10 days, three trucks carrying children have been reported to be heading toward Nyala, while children in South Darfur are being armed and sent into battle. Families disappear without a trace.
Aid workers are also targeted. They are targeted, kidnapped for ransom, assaulted and sometimes killed. This is because the armed groups believe that humanitarian organizations can pay them. Many of our aid recipients are Sudanese women who risk their lives every day to deliver food, water and protection services to people.
Violence also has an ethnic dimension. One refugee told us: “I can’t go back now. They’ll know which tribe I’m from by the color of my skin and they’ll kill me.”
Sudan is currently experiencing the world’s largest displacement crisis and one of the most serious humanitarian emergencies. More than 30 million people are in need of emergency assistance. 15 million people have been forced from their homes. Hunger and cholera are spreading rapidly. Clinics are destroyed, schools are closed, and 13 million children are out of school, losing their education and future.
But even in the midst of this devastation, Sudanese women’s organizations are leading the response. They run safe spaces, support survivors of violence, and keep children learning whenever possible. They know their communities well and continue to work despite the constant danger. Their courage is not only recognized, but also worthy of support.
However, the humanitarian response remains catastrophically underfunded. They have only received about a quarter of what they need. Without immediate resources, millions of people will be left without food, medical care, or shelter as famine looms. Funding protection and psychosocial support for women and children is not optional. It’s about saving lives.
And this is not only a crisis of violence, but also a crisis of indifference. Every time the world looks away, more lives are lost and more futures are erased. The international community must support investigations into war crimes, including sexual violence, ethnic killings, and attacks on aid workers. Silence is not neutral. Silence provides a blank check against the continuation of fear.
We must act now and urgently. Governments and donors must fully fund the humanitarian response and ensure access for those providing aid. Governments must urge all parties to immediately stop attacks on civilians, ensure safe passage for those evacuated, and allow relief efforts to reach those torn apart by fighting.
Humanitarian workers and grassroots organizations are risking their lives so that others can survive. The world must match their courage and urgent action.
Above all, Sudanese women and girls must participate in building peace. They are already organizing, evacuating and rebuilding amidst the chaos. Their courage offers a glimpse of the country Sudan can still become.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.
