In this interview with Femena, Rasha Ahmad, Sudanese peacebuilding activist and women’s rights advocate, reflects on the devastating impact of the war that began on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. She describes how the conflict has driven mass displacement, collapsed essential services, and fueled widespread gender-based and sexual violence against women and girls.
Rasha highlights the heightened risks facing women in conflict and displacement, from rape and abduction to forced marriage and sexual exploitation, while outlining how grassroots women’s groups are providing survivor-centered support, humanitarian aid, and advocacy for accountability. She concludes with a call for direct funding, international protection mechanisms, and stronger regional feminist solidarity to support Sudanese women and hold perpetrators accountable.