‘We want micro finance assistance’

Women in Darfur’s refugee camps seek ways of livelihood safeguard them from risk of rape

Displaced Darfuri women living in refugee camps demanded on Wednesday for solar-powered stoves, among other financial assistance, to safeguard them from the constant threat of rape.An activist in North Darfur’s Saraf Omra camp told Radio Dabanga, “ The stoves will make sure that they don’t have to go out for collecting firewood to make food. Apart from that, there should be initiatives to encourage other ways of earning money. They should be offered micro finance projects.”

Some banks in Darfur have offered micro finance assistance to the Darfuris which enable them to establish small scale enterprises.

The activist added that these micro finance projects will ensure means of livelihood that don’t require the women to get out to the farms and put in hard labor, which also exposes them to the risk of rapes.

Security lacuna

Radio Dabanga spoke to a lot of women in Darfur’s refugee camps to find out about the security situation on the ground.

Accounts of the women suggest an absence of security, lack of disarmament of militias, lack of justice system ensuring impunity to the perpetrators. The women largely accused the government of using rape as a weapon of war.

Radio Dabanga reported last week about six refugee women being raped by armed gunmen.