Like many women living in Darfur, Irba Ibrahim Abubakar has complained tirelessly of attacks and rapes against them while working outside. “We need to go outside to work so that we can take care of the orphans, the widows and the elderly, and sometimes we are also frightened to go out in the field.”

A woman shows her sorrow while explaining the rape increase in Kassab. Photo by Albert González Farran

Irba, a woman leader living in Kassab internally displaced persons camp (IDP) in Kutum town, North Darfur explained that attacks against women in the area were on the increase, and requested the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur to enhance its security patrols in and around the camps.  “We are faced with attacks by unknown men,” she said. “We need these heinous attacks to stop and the perpetrators need to be brought to justice.”

The protection working group (PWG) composed of UNAMID and UN agencies meets on a monthly basis to come up with plans and strategies to deliver the priorities of the Integrated Strategic Framework (ISF) which addresses protection of civilian concerns, tracks progress and identifies issues requiring guidance or intervention by senior officials.  In February, the group reported an increase of sexual and gender-based violence in Kutum, particularly in the Kassab IDP camp. The group agreed on intervention measures, including consultation with relevant authorities and training of government security personnel, and requested UNAMID to increase its patrols in potential return areas in order to create a secure environment.   

More than eight years after the Darfur conflict broke out, there continues to be a disturbing number of rapes of women who are usually out working.

A woman builds her new shelter in Damra Toma (North Darfur). Photo by Albert González Farran

“The ongoing conflict in Darfur, the increased criminality and constraints in holding perpetrators of human rights violations accountable continue to expose the courageous Darfuri women, who are the most vulnerable to sexual violence while performing their daily activities, particularly in the vicinity of IDP camps,” says Marie-Therese Keita, Director of UNAMID Human Rights Section. “Initiatives have been taken to address the issue but more concerted effort needs to be deployed to put an end to sexual violence.”

A large number of IDP women have been victims of assault or rape after leaving the relative safety of their camps to gather wood in the open wilderness.  One of the steps taken by UNAMID peacekeepers since they started their mission in 2008 was to establish firewood and farming patrols in order to provide women with protection while conducting their chores outside the camps.  Presently, the Mission's troops conduct more than 15 such patrols each day in about 100 IDP camps and villages throughout Darfur.

“The South African troops stationed in Kutum town and the Rwandan battalion in Sortony in North Darfur conducts escort patrols twice a week, travelling to areas more than 30 kilometres away. They spend about seven hours a day escorting women and children to and from the IDP camp to protect them from direct attacks,” said Brig. General Mahlobo Sithabiso, UNAMID Sector North Commander. “The Mission also supplies water to the local community to prevent the women from going out to distant places and risking attack,” he added.
 
In response to reports of continuous sexual or gender-based violence (SGBV) cases in Darfur, UNAMID police has established a gender crimes special investigations unit responsible for monitoring and reporting on crimes committed against women and children and to contribute to bringing justice to the victims. This unit focuses on addressing sexually based violence, rehabilitating victims, reducing stigmatization of victims of sexual abuse, and encouraging victims to report incidents freely to law enforcement agencies. It also supports local law enforcement agencies in the investigation of complex cases of violation, such as sexual harassment, child abuse, human trafficking, domestic violence, child abandonment and prostitution, and collaborates with the Mission’s Gender and Human Rights sections, local, international and UN bodies, and community and local police authorities.

Christabel Nsiah, a Ghanaian police officer, is deployed in the Zam Zam teamsite in North Darfur as a gender officer.  Each morning she joins the patrol team to the displaced persons camps where she and her team have created a gender desk so they can talk to women on issues such as personal hygiene, response to SGBV cases, pre-natal care, early marriage, child labor and culture.

“During our meetings with the women, we encourage every woman to report all SGBV cases for further investigation,” she said. “It is most difficult for these women to come out and report cases of rape in this region, so we are constantly encouraging them to speak out and report all cases… Darfur women find it difficult to approach and report incidents of rape and, most of the time, the family members do not accept talking to the victim for fear of embarrassment. That’s a challenge,” she added.

UNAMID and the humanitarian community continue to respond to the urgent needs of victims of sexual and gender-based violence in Darfur, in order to create an effective and comprehensive programme of protection.

UNAMID Joint Special Representative (JSR), Ibrahim Gambari, has expressed his deep concern about the reports of violence and rape cases, requesting the Mission last year to double its security patrols in order to ensure full protection of civilians.

The JSR vowed to take up the issue of impunity with the local authorities. “Where the people who are engaged in criminal acts are known, they must be brought to justice. As a result of our pressure, now they [the Government of Sudan] have appointed a Special Court and a Special Prosecutor for Darfur,” he stated.

The Mission continues to monitor cases of sexual and gender-based violence through its dedicated human rights team to ensure that due process is respected and to raise concerns with the relevant authorities. UNAMID has conducted several trainings for local medical personnel, police and prosecution officers, ensuring that victims receive medical treatment. The Mission also assists victims in need of legal support through collaboration with other UN agencies to ensure the rights of the victims are respected.

Awareness-raising activities for women and traditional leaders in displaced persons camps has helped the community develop protection mechanisms such as the formation of firewood collection groups, daily security patrols and regular meetings with residents of the camps.
 
“We are aware that women and girls have to go out to perform their chores so we encourage them to always travel in groups and report all cases to the police,” said Christabel Nsiah. “We encourage the women by telling them that when they report these incidents, they are helping to stop more attacks.”

Story by Sharon Lukunka