Sudanese women: Have you ever heard their voices in war?

Prepared by Radio Albanat for Sudan Media Forum joint newsroom

Sudanese women told harrowing stories of their suffering during the ongoing war in Sudan, expressing their hopes for an end to the fighting and the return of peace and stability. The testimonies documented by Radio Al Banat in a radio program included experiences of loss and displacement, in addition to grave violations against women and girls, amid calls to highlight the voices of victims.

Mawaddah Abdullah Ibrahim, a displaced person from Khartoum, told Radio Albanat that she lost her mother and her brother was injured while fleeing the fighting. She noted that their home was completely damaged, and they were forced to move between several areas in search of safety. She added, “My only wish is for the war to stop and for security to return to Sudan.”

Journalist Lubna Ali Awni explained that she was forced to leave her city for a new, unfamiliar environment. She said that the war has had significant psychological and social effects on women, adding, “We hope the war will stop so that life can return to normal, and that we can enjoy security and stability.”

In a related context, student Dhikrayat, who had been out of school for two years due to the war, said she was about to sit for her high school exams when the fighting broke out. She added with grief, “I lost two years of my academic life, as if the dream had suddenly stopped.”

For her part, Rawya Al-Fateh, a psychologist, lecturer, and trainer in awareness and community relations, warned of the profound psychological consequences of the war, particularly for women and girls. She said there have been cases of physical, verbal, and sexual violence, even affecting girls as young as 12, leading to widespread anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Internationally, UN Women said that Sudanese women bear the brunt of the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” It explained that more than half of Sudan’s displaced population are women and girls, increasing their risk of gender-based violence. In a report published last April, it confirmed that in less than two years, the number of people at risk of gender-based violence has tripled, reaching 12.1 million. The UN agency added that conflict-related sexual violence remains significantly underreported, but evidence suggests it is being used “systematically as a weapon of war.”

UN Women also noted that with 80% of hospitals in conflict-affected areas no longer functioning, maternal deaths have risen sharply, and women’s access to sexual and reproductive health care has been disrupted.

This article, prepared by Radio Albanat, is published via the platforms of the Sudan Media Forum and its member institutions, accompanied by audio/video, for Radio Girls magazine in an attempt to bring the voices of Sudanese women affected by the war to the world, highlight their suffering, call for an end to the conflict, and empower survivors to reclaim their lives and their stolen rights.

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