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The ongoing war in Sudan continues to force more women and girls into precarious situations, highlighting the urgent need for increased protection and support in refugee camps
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N'DJAMENA - The war in Sudan has had a devastating impact on women and girls, many of whom fled to Chad in search of safety. However, some female Sudanese refugees now say they have been forced into sexual exploitation to survive, trading sex for access to food, money, and jobs. Such exploitation is a crime under Chadian law.
“We came to Chad, but the food they gave us was not enough, so I slept with a man and gave birth to this child. I had four children from marriage; this is the fifth. I had no choice because they didn’t give us enough to eat,” said a 27-year-old mother as she cradled her youngest child. She alleged that the child’s father was an aid worker who had promised her money in exchange for sex. The women who spoke to The Associated Press requested anonymity, fearing retribution from the men they said exploited them.
Bigger percentage of refugees from Sudan are Women
Allegations against Aid workers and security forces
Women and girls in Adré camp, near the Sudanese border, said those exploiting them included humanitarian workers and local security forces.
A 19-year-old refugee recounted witnessing the murder of many of her family members before fleeing to Chad. She now lives with her mother in the Aboutengue camp.
“In the camp, living conditions were difficult for us, so I turned to sex work to cover our domestic expenses,” she said, adding that she gave birth to a child as a result. “Now I regret what happened.”
Ali Mahamat Sebey, the local prefect, dismissed the allegations against security forces as false.
Aid Agencies struggle to meet refugees’ needs
The majority of Sudanese refugees in Chad are women, and aid organizations are struggling to provide sufficient support in increasingly overcrowded displacement camps.
“The fact that assistance is not enough for them can be a reason for them to resort to survival sex,” said a representative of a humanitarian agency.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has established “safe spaces” in the camps where women can gather and report abuse anonymously via hotlines or feedback boxes. However, many women said they were unaware of these resources or feared drawing attention by using them.
The ongoing war in Sudan continues to force more women and girls into precarious situations, highlighting the urgent need for increased protection and support in refugee camps.
Source: Associated Press
