News Center- 221 rape cases against children have been recorded since the beginning of 2024, UICEF said in a press release on Tuesday.

“These figures represent only a small fraction of total cases. Survivors and their families are often unwilling or unable to come forward due to challenges accessing services, and frontline workers, fear of the stigma they could face, the fear of rejection from their family or community, the fear of retribution from armed groups or fear of confidentiality breaches.”

‘Millions of children in Sudan are at risk of rape’

“Children as young as one being raped by armed men should shock anyone to their core and compel immediate action,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Millions of children in Sudan are at risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence, which is being used as a tactic of war. This is an abhorrent violation of international law and could constitute a war crime. It must stop.”

Of the reported 221 child rape survivors, 147 children, or 66 percent, are girls. That 33 percent of the survivors are boys. “Shockingly, there are 16 survivors under 5 years of age, including four one-year olds. The cases were reported in nine states in Sudan, from south to north and east to west. There were an additional 77 reported cases of sexual assault against children, primarily attempted rape cases,” UNICEF added, calling for urgent international efforts to protect and support children in Sudan.