Sudan
Advocacy
SUDAN
Five armed groups are listed in the annexes of the SG’s 2023 annual report on CAAC for the recruitment and use of children in Sudan. In June, the SG is expected to report on UN efforts to support Sudan, pursuant to SCR 2715 (2023). According to the SG’s February report (S/2024/204), the UN verified 115 grave violations against 102 children, including killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, abduction, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and recruitment and use. UNICEF has warned that the war is “pushing the country towards famine and a catastrophic loss of children’s lives,” and Sudan remains the largest child displacement crisis globally with over 4.6 million children displaced since April 2023. Violent attacks on schools and education in Sudan increased fourfold since April 2023. Fighting in El Fasher has raised alarms for the civilian population, including children, with the SG calling for respect for international law, humanitarian access, and allowing civilians to move to safer areas. The Security Council should:
- Demand that all parties uphold their obligations under IHL and IHRL, taking all necessary precautions to protect civilians and civilian objects, including schools and hospitals, in accordance with the principles of precaution, distinction, and proportionality; and adopt concrete measures to end and prevent grave violations against children;
- Condemn all attacks on humanitarian actors, civilians, especially children, and civilian infrastructure, and call on all parties to avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas;
- Reiterate calls for an immediate ceasefirewith clearly articulated timeframes, coordination with relevant regional and subregional organizations and humanitarian actors to establish such a ceasefire, as well as to prevent further violations and abuses against civilians, including children;
- Demand that all parties allow and facilitate the safe, timely, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations, especially children; and respect and protect humanitarian personnel, assets, and infrastructure; and allow civilians safe passage out of conflict zones;
- Explore credible civilian protection options for Sudan, in collaboration with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development; and request the SG to strengthen the Protection of Civilians mandate of his Personal Envoy, ensuring sufficient resources to fulfill such a mandate.
THE UNITED KINGDOM IS THE SECURITY COUNCIL PENHOLDER ON SUDAN.
This information is based on Watchlist’s Children and Armed Conflict Monthly Update – June 2024.
In June, the SG published his eighth report on the situation of CAAC in Sudan (S/2024/443), covering January 2022 to December 2023. During this time, the UN Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting (CTFMR) verified 2,168 grave violations against 1,913 children (1,015 boys, 683 girls, 215 sex unknown) – a staggering fourfold increase in grave violations from the previous reporting period. The surge in grave violations is largely attributed to the outbreak of intense conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15, 2023, with 72 percent of the total violations occurring in the last eight months of 2023. The conflict also stalled and/or drastically reversed progress seen on child protection, including commitments made by parties to the Juba Peace Agreement and through implementation of the 2021 roadmap. Recruitment and use, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access all rose sharply when compared to the previous report (S/2022/627). In particular, recruitment and use saw a tenfold increase with 277 children recruited and used. Killing and maiming increased by over 400 percent with 1,525 children and was the most verified grave violation. Notably, in his 2024 annual report on CAAC, the SG newly listed the RSF in the annexes for recruitment and use, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and attacks on schools and hospitals; the SAF for killing and maiming and attacks on schools and hospitals; and the Third Front-Tamazuj for recruitment and use. The Working Group Should:
- Strongly condemn the staggering increase in grave violations committed against children in Sudan, and demand that all parties immediately end and prevent all violations and abuses against children and uphold their obligations under IHL and IHRL; and urge all those with influence over the parties to use all their leverage to end and prevent further grave violations against children;
- Urge all armed parties to immediately release all children under 18 from their ranks and prevent and end all child recruitment and use; reiterate that children associated with armed forces and groups should be treated primarily as victims and call on Sudanese authorities to continue implementing the 2018 standard operating procedures for the release and handover of children associated with armed groups;
- Express grave concern at the significant increase in the number of children killed and maimed, and call on all parties to take concrete steps to prevent child casualties, respecting the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution;
- Demand that all parties take concrete steps to end rape and other forms of sexual violence against children; immediately cease attacks or threats against schools and hospitals, their personnel, and other civilian objects; and avoid the military use of schools; and express grave concern at the lack of access for children to protection services, education, and healthcare as a result of the armed conflict;
- Demand that all parties allow and facilitate the safe, timely, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations, especially children; and respect and protect humanitarian personnel, assets, and infrastructure; and allow civilians safe passage out of conflict zones.
This information is based on Watchlist’s Children and Armed Conflict Monthly Update – September 2024.
SUDAN/SOUTH SUDAN (ABYEI)
In May, the SG will report on UNISFA, pursuant to SCR 2660 (2022). From April 3-6, representatives from the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka communities, including women and youth, participated in an inter-communal peace conference in which the communities agreed to a cessation of hostilities, unhindered movement along roads, including for humanitarian assistance, and a return of displaced communities. UNICEF had previously noted the impact of escalating inter-communal violence in Abyei on the humanitarian needs of children. The Security Council should:
- Call for the protection, rights, well-being, and empowerment of children to be fully incorporated and prioritized in ongoing and future efforts to build and sustain peace at the community level, drawing on the Practical Guidance for Mediators; and encourage and facilitate consideration of children’s views in these processes where possible and compatible with the child’s best interests;
- Ensure that child protection is appropriately considered and prioritized in ongoing efforts to develop a responsible exit strategy for UNISFA, including monitoring and reporting on grave violations committed against children, building on lessons learned, and consulting with the relevant child protection experts.
The United States is the lead country on Sudan/South Sudan (Abyei).
This information is based on Watchlist’s Children and Armed Conflict Monthly Update – May 2023.
Publications
UN Action
Year listed: 2003
Action Plans signed: SPLM-North – recruitment and use of children (November 2016); JEM – recruitment and use of children (September 2012); SLA/Minnawi – recruitment and use of children (June 2007)
Previous Action Plans: Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) (November 2009) *Signed as an armed group before South Sudan’s independence; Sudan Liberation Army/Free Will (June 2010); Sudan Liberation Army/Abu Gasim (August 2010); Sudan Government security forces, including the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Popular Defense Forces, and the Sudan Police Forces (March 2016) *Delisted in 2018 following compliance with Action Plan.
Sanctions Committee: The Sudan Sanctions Committee (Current Chair: Estonia)
Secretary-General’s reports on CAAC in Sudan: 2020; 2017; 2011; 2009; 2007; 2006
Security Council Working Group conclusions on Sudan: 2020; 2017; 2012; 2009; 2008; 2006
UN Mission: UNAMID; UNITAMS
Perpetrators listed in the annexes of the Secretary-General’s annual reports on children and armed conflict
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government-allied militia, the South Sudan Unity Movement (SSUM) | a | a | |||||||||||||
| Government-supported militias (backed by Government of Sudan) | a,b,c,d | ||||||||||||||
| Pro-Government militias* | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | |||||||
| Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) | a | a | |||||||||||||
| Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) *~ | a | a | a | a | a | a | |||||||||
| Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) | a | ||||||||||||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLM/A) (Minawi) | a,b,c,e | ||||||||||||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Minni Minawi* | a,b,c | a,b | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | |||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Peace Wing | a | a | a | a | |||||||||||
| Janjaweed | a,b,c,e | a,b,c,e | a,b,c,d,f | ||||||||||||
| Justice and Equality Movement (JEM)*~ | a | a,b,d | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | |||||
| Justice and Equality Movement (Peace Wing) | a,b,c | a | a | a | a | ||||||||||
| Police forces (camel police) | a | ||||||||||||||
| Police forces, including the Central Reserve Police & Border Intelligence Forces* | a,b,c | a,b,c | a | a | a | a | a | a | |||||||
| Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) | a,b,e,f | a,b,c,d,f | a,b,c,d | a | |||||||||||
| Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) | a,b | a,c | a | a | a | ||||||||||
| Joint Integrated Units of the Sudan Armed Forces and SPLA | a | ||||||||||||||
| The White Army (Lou Nuer) | a,b | ||||||||||||||
| Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) | a | a | a,b,c | a,b,c | |||||||||||
| Chadian opposition forces | a | a,b,c | a,b | a | a | ||||||||||
| Popular Defense Forces (PDF)*~ | a,b,c | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | |||||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Abu Gasim/Mother Wing | a,b,c | a | a | a | a | a | |||||||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Free Will | a,b,c | a | a | a | a | ||||||||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Abdul Wahid* | a,e | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | |||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Shafi | a,e | ||||||||||||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Unity | a | a | a | a | a | ||||||||||
| Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Historical Leadership | a | a | a | ||||||||||||
| Movement of Popular Force for Rights and Democracy | a | a | a | ||||||||||||
| Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)*~ (including Sudan Police Forces) | a,c | a,c | a | a | a | a | a | a | a | ||||||
| South Sudan Defence Forces, including the forces of Major-General Gabriel Tang Ginyi | a,b,c | ||||||||||||||
| Pibor Defence Forces | a,b,c |
a: Parties that recruit and use children
b: Parties that kill and maim children
c: Parties that commit rape and other forms of sexual violence against children
d: Parties that engage in attacks on schools and/or hospitals
e: Parties that engage in abduction of children
f: Parties that deny humanitarian access to children
~ This party has concluded an action plan with the United Nations in line with Security Council resolutions 1539 (2004) and 1612 (2005).
* This party has been in the annexes for at least five years and is therefore considered a persistent perpetrator.
