Sudan: Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls

Question

Asked by

To ask His Majesty’s Government what support they are providing to women and girls in Sudan, in the light of reports of sexual violence.

My Lords, tackling conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan is a priority through our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative. UK aid is supporting Sudanese survivors of gender-based violence through clinical treatment, dignity kits and psycho-social services. We support the work of Education Cannot Wait, which is providing safe learning spaces for 200,000 vulnerable refugees in Sudan’s neighbouring countries. During our November UN Security Council presidency, I called for greater action to protect civilians following the United Kingdom-led extension of the UN fact-finding mission’s mandate. In April, the Foreign Secretary will convene a conference to galvanise efforts to end the conflict.

My Lords, last week UNICEF published a harrowing report that described the rape of young girls by combatants in Sudan; four were just one year-old. The US, as the penholder on sexual violence and conflict, has cut almost $30 million from UNFPA’s Sudan refugee support, leaving survivors of sexual violence without life-saving treatment and support. Can my noble friend assure me that the UK will step up to ensure that services for these victims of sexual violence can be delivered across the region and work with partners to further ensure that the warring parties and their proxies are held to account for their heinous crimes?

My Lords, the findings of UNICEF’s report on child rape and sexual violence in Sudan are truly appalling. Through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative, we fund clinical management of rape, safe spaces and mental health support for survivors. Last September, I co-hosted a side event at the UN General Assembly High-level Week to spotlight the issue of conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan, where I called on the warring parties to immediately protect civilians. Through the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health programmes, we provide integrated sexual and reproductive services to women and girls in both IDP camps and non-IDP settings.

My Lords, UNHCR reported in December 2023 that underfunding was severely hampering comprehensive life-saving, gender-based violence treatment in Sudan. I am very grateful for what the Minister said about the UK Government’s current work, but we have heard that the UNICEF report said last week that things are much, much worse. Can the Minister say whether UK international aid to women and girls, especially those subject to gender-based sexual violence, will be protected from Treasury cuts?

I thank the noble Baroness. The Prime Minister has made it absolutely clear that Sudan is a priority and will remain a priority through the spending review that we are currently undertaking.

I should reassure the noble Baroness that we have taken consistent action; on 4 and 5 March, Harriet Matthews, director-general for Africa, visited Port Sudan; on 24 February, I hosted a round-table in Geneva with the head of the fact-finding mission to talk about these issues; and of course on 31 January, a UK-sponsored UN Security Council press statement condemned the recent violence in al-Fashir and Sudan.

So we are continuing to focus on this, and that is what the April conference that the Foreign Secretary is convening will be all about—not only making sure that the international community acts on humanitarian support but looking forward to developing a civilian-led coalition that can lead Sudan out of conflict.

My Lord, notwithstanding the undoubtedly sincere efforts that the Minister makes, what assessment has he made of the statement made today by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, that the sudden funding cuts by top government donors, which have cut off significant support to humanitarian organisations working to reach some 21 million people, will be a “catastrophic blow”, not least to women and children?

Reinforcing the point made by the noble Baroness who spoke earlier, what is being done to end the culture of impunity, where someone such as Omar al-Bashir can still be on the loose when he was indicted 20 years ago for the crime of genocide in Darfur?

My Lords, the US is the largest humanitarian donor in Sudan, providing just under half of the UN’s response, and we are pressing all partners to ensure that aid continues to be committed to Sudan. Far too much of the aid already committed is unable to reach those who need it, and the April conference will focus on that. We remain committed to working with a number of partners, including the US, to ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.

I will also repeat that we continue to support the ICC investigation in Darfur, including allegations of crimes. We are absolutely committed, which is why, in October, we also managed to get wholehearted support at the human rights committee for the fact-finding mission’s mandate to be extended.

My Lords, I am sure the whole House will join with the Minister in condemning the appalling sexual violence that is happening in Sudan. We all support him in wanting to see the perpetrators held to account. What steps are the Government taking to make sure that our aid to Sudan is effectively targeted towards protecting women and girls from this terrible violence and exploitation? I ask the Minister again the question posed by the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton: will this work be exempted from the cuts to the foreign aid programme?

I have mentioned before that we have a huge amount of humanitarian aid committed to Sudan that cannot reach the people who need it. The warring parties are stopping it. We had support at the UN Security Council for our resolution supporting the Secretary-General’s call for the protection of civilians. That was vetoed by the Russians for no reason at all, but that has not stopped us continuing to raise the issue of how we need to get humanitarian aid in.

The commitments are there already—we will get it in. As the Prime Minister said, Sudan will be a priority, which is why we have convened this special conference, co-hosted by a number of countries, in London in April.

My Lords, children will be particularly affected by the cruel assaults conducted against them. Will any special support be given to children, and funding given to UNICEF, so that their recovery can be secured as much as possible, even though it will not be guaranteed?

I would urge noble Lords to read the UNICEF report—it is truly shocking. Very young children under the age of 10 are being subjected to these horrific crimes. The report’s findings show that over 200 children have been subject to that sort of sexual violence. The warring parties need to apply the commitments they made in Jeddah. We are absolutely committed to giving those children what support we can. But I cannot believe that they will ever recover from that shocking crime.

My Lords, through the initiative of US Representative Gregory Meeks in his position on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, US arms sales to the UAE are currently blocked on the basis, widely reported, that the UAE is supplying arms and funding to the RSF, which is of course responsible, as are both sides in this conflict, for many of the hideous crimes we have been talking about. What is the UK position?

We have been absolutely clear that the supply of arms to the warring parties should be halted and we have urged all parties to stop. We are aware that some countries are supplying arms to both sides, because they see the conflict continuing as in their interest. We are trying to convene all regional parties to London in April, particularly neighbouring countries, so that we can focus on getting that humanitarian support in and on how we end this conflict. The way to end this conflict is to ensure we have civilian-led leaders who are able to take hold of the country and make sure it remains united.

Sadly, both sides have announced a process for a civilian-led Government. We even had the RSF articulating that here in Parliament. But we have made it absolutely clear that it has to be independent of both sides—truly independent—and civilian led.