Women living through war in Sudan – A year since the outbreak of the vicious conflict in Sudan (1) | Japan International Volunteer Center Official Site

[Original by Ko IMANAKA, Sudan & Yemen Projects (March 14, 2024); Translated by K. Tanimoto/J. Tsuchiya, A. Taguchi]

Greetings, this is Ko IMANAKA from the JVC Sudan Office.

The war in Sudan is approaching its first anniversary since the civil war which started on April 15 last year. Even though Ramadan began, the war continued. As of February, according to reports from the UN and other resources, 13,900 people have been killed, 1.66 million fled to neighboring countries as refugees, and 6.32 million are said to be internally displaced. Approximately 24.8 million people, which is almost half of the nation’s population, are urgently in need of humanitarian assistance.

International media coverage of the situation in Sudan is extremely low and the expected amount required for financial aid in 2024 has reached only 4% to date. Reading reports from humanitarian aid organizations and hearing the real voices of the Sudanese, the nation is in a chaotic condition, with millions of people’s lives under catastrophic crisis. In this article, I will focus on the current situation in Sudan.

Sudanese Women on the Frontlines

In conflict-affected zones, women, who are one of the most vulnerable, are exposed to threatening conditions. Abduction, forced marriage, child marriage, and sexual violence are increasingly occurring in many places. The victims of Gender-based Violence (GBV) often encounter symptoms like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. For further insights, please refer to the references given at the bottom.

The access to sanitation goods and clean water is limited. The conflict does not only threaten women’s dignity and rights, but it also increases the risk of infectious diseases. The shortage of supplies and the rapid rise of inflation have resulted in acute food insecurity and more than a million pregnant and breastfeeding women are suffering from acute malnutrition. In the battle zone, 70% of medical services are out of service, limiting access to medical care, and making it difficult to receive appropriate maternal and child healthcare services. Despite this situation, there are 150,000 pregnant women and 50,000 of them are expecting birth within 3 months.

Present situation of Sudanese women in Kadugli City in South Kordofan

Samira, whose son participates in the Alternative Learning Program supported by JVC, talked about their living conditions before and after the civil war.

“The war has increased the prices of food. Sorghum (the staple food in Sudan) has increased in price and onions are 7 times more expensive. Before the war, we used to collect wood during the dry season and sell it as charcoal. But as the security situation worsened, we were no longer able to go far to collect wood. We tried to earn money by cleaning and doing laundry, but they didn’t go well. My children support us by shining shoes at the market. By attending the Alternative Learning Program, my children can eat light meals, so we are very grateful since it is hard to secure food now.”

Samira did not have an opportunity to study at school in the past. Her son attends the Alternative Learning Program, where she also studied reading and writing with him. “My son could not read or write before but now he can. He seems to be motivated to study more. I think education is necessary for a better life and I want to support him in any way I can.”

Samira (right), whose son (aged 8) attends the Alternative Learning Program.

A girl who attends the Alternative Learning Program

Many children, including Awatif (aged 14), who are attending the Alternative Learning Program have gone through various traumatic experiences from the conflict like shelling and gunfire. It is significant that children exposed to war not only fear where the missiles will strike next but also suffer from economic distress, which in turn further degrades their living conditions.

Awatif said, “We had to evacuate from our home when a battle started in Kadugli. Before it started, my uncle financially supported us but now that is difficult. Before I attended the Alternative Learning Program, I did house chores like making tea, cleaning, preparing meals, and getting water. But now I have learnt to read and write Arabic which I wasn’t able to do before. My favorite things to do here are to recite the Quran and play volleyball. My dream is to become a teacher, so I want to continue studying further and eventually go to university.”

Awatif (left) at the Alternative Learning Program facility. She has not studied at school before.

A sudden message from Mona

The reason why I decided to write this article was when Mona, the vice representative of our JVC Sudan Office, contacted me. In her message, she said that March 8th was International Women’s Day and wanted to convey a message on JVC’s website. Mona lived in Khartoum City before the war, but after fleeing 4 times, she now lives in the suburban city of Kosti. There were times when we were unable to contact each other. At the end of last year, Rapid Support Forces (RSF) conducted a massive onslaught, and she was urged to find the next destination to evacuate several times. However, she now operates our office while working remotely, handling accounting and general management as well.

The message from Mona is as follows:

“I would like to convey a message to the Sudanese women who are under harsh conditions and in difficult times and wish them Happy International Women’s Day. Countless women have to live in terrifying sounds of bombs and gunfire, some are scattered in refugee camps and neighboring countries, and there are women who have been raped and sexually assaulted, sexually abused, have financial difficulties, and are mentally destroyed. I want to express my respect to them, for their brave will to live even under such harsh conditions. May God be with them.”

Certainly, it is not only women who are under difficult conditions. Among men, there are those who take weapons, betting their lives, to provide for their families. Some are recruited as new soldiers. Some seek jobs in neighboring countries, risking illegal immigration. Some scavenge for food from early in the morning. Some remain in the conflict zone safeguarding their homes while evacuating their wives and children. Committed to their beliefs, there are those who defy the orders of the militia, leading to their execution. Some shed tears alone with no one to rely on. They are ordinary citizens who may have been sitting next to you.

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While evacuating to El-Obeid City in North Kordofan, Mona reunited with Ahmad (right), our JVC Sudan Office staff who fled from Kadugli. Presently, Mona is in Kosti City and Ahmad is now back in Kadugli City, managing the office operations.

Girls rejoicing their victory at a volleyball event planned and managed by the youth group trained by JVC.

About the author:

Born in Kyoto Prefecture, he majored in Arabic at a university in Japan and also studied abroad in Yemen as a student. While there, he learned Arabic, along with the local religion, culture, and customs of Yemen. During the stay, he witnessed the tarrying lives of people affected by revolution and conflicts. In those situations, children were deprived of basic living conditions and education, and adults confronted unemployment.

After graduation, with a desire to contribute to infrastructure development in developing and emerging countries, he took responsibility for a power plant project at a manufacturing company. But his passion for working closely with the local people led him to think of further possibilities, so he joined JVC in 2018. Though he doesn’t cook, his favorite meal is anything made with pumpkin.