In a new analytical brief compiling survivor testimonies, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) expose a coordinated campaign of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) targeting the Masalit community in West Darfur.
Paris, Kampala, 17 December 2025. In Sudan, the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has been accompanied by widespread violence against the Masalit people in Darfur. A documentation mission conducted by FIDH and ACJPS led to the release of this analytical brief. Testimonies collected by indicate that the RSF has carried out countless attacks intended to terrorize and displace entire communities. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is used against Masalit women, including mass rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, and forced pregnancy committed by RSF and allied militias.
The Masalit community is under immense threat, with a large portion of its population forced to flee toward Eastern Chad. Along the routes of exile, women continue to face persistent dangers and challenges. Numerous testimonies attest that killing, torture, rape and extorsion are common place on the journey.
Safety remains elusive for survivors in overcrowded and unsanitary camps.
Once in Chad, survivors have found very little sanctuary. In addition to the lack of adequate humanitarian assistance, SVBG has disastrous consequences for survivors, who often endure long-term psychological and physical trauma, with little to no access to health care. The added social stigma associated with SVBG further exacerbates survivors’ distress and isolation.
“Among the countless tragedies of the civil war in Sudan, the situation of the Masalit community is particularly alarming. Protecting survivors, ensuring their safe return to their lands, and actively pursuing justice for human rights violations must be paramount to ending impunity.” declared Alexis Deswaef, President of FIDH.
Survivors have also repeatedly denounced the presence of RSF and allied militias within and around refugee camps, with infiltrators particularly focused on preventing Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) from documenting abuses.
This analytical brief is one of the first steps among the many that will be required in documenting violations and crimes committed and pursuing accountability at national, regional and international levels. Survivors’ experiences must lead to tangible consequences and meaningful reparations, including their effective right of return.
