Since February, Refugees International has called on the international community to focus on the humanitarian crisis in the remote western Sudan province, Darfur, where several million people continue to be threatened with death and displacement. The Janjaweed militia, which has acted with the support of the Government of Sudan, targets civilians, a clear violation of international humanitarian law. One facet of the crisis is the gendered violence in Darfur. Women and girls are targeted and raped by the militia whenever they venture out from the villages to collect essential water or firewood to prepare food. Other human rights violations which have specifically targeted women and girls are: abductions, sexual slavery, torture and forced displacement. On top of the violence committed against women, the women also face consequences such as social stigmatization, denial of their economic, social and health rights, and the destruction of the social fabric of their communities.

RI will be conducting its second assessment mission to Darfur from September 20 to mid-October to focus on gender-based violence against Sudanese women and to examine what steps have been taken to protect and empower local women. Human Rights Advocate Mamie Mutchler and Gender Advocate Sarah Martin will gather testimony from displaced women in Darfur in order to understand what communities are doing to support rape survivors and to improve protection for women and children. The advocates will also compare the needs of women and children for protection and the actual capability of community groups, the Government of Sudan, African Union ceasefire monitors and international agencies to provide it.