[women-rights] UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women concludes visit to Sudan

UNITED NATIONS
Press Release
6 October 2004

Prof. Yakin Ertürk, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its
causes and consequences of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
today issued the statement below. The statement contains preliminary
findings following her visit to the Sudan and its Darfur region from 25
September to 2 October 2004.


The situation in Darfur is one of a human crisis exasperated by mutual
mistrust between the people and the Government; the lack of effective
follow-up regarding allegations of human rights violations, including rape
of women and girls; the distortion of the reality through conflicting
claims and assessments of the situation; and an apparent lack of security
for internally-displaced persons (IDPs).

Women and girls have suffered multiple forms of violence during attacks on
their villages, including rape, killings, the burning of homes and pillage
of livestock. Women have also been tortured during interrogation by
security forces for being relatives of suspected rebels. I heard numerous
accounts of continuing violence against the displaced women and girls
allegedly by government-backed militia and security forces. In particular,
rape and beatings take place when women and girls leave the IDP camps to
fetch wood or other necessities. Consequently, many women and girls endure
the trauma of rape and loss, health problems and heightened risk of
HIV/AIDS infection, as well as domestic violence and poverty. The fact
that the majority of the households in the camps are headed by women
exasperates women's vulnerability to violence and exploitation.

In view of my observations in Darfur, I would like to make a few initial
recommendations:

The Government of Sudan must adopt a transparent and participatory
approach to handling the crisis in Darfur and ensure the safety of
civilians.

Accountability for perpetrators, without exception, is fundamental in
addressing violations of human rights and restoring people's faith in
Government institutions. In this regard, all allegations of violence
against women must be fully investigated and the witnesses and victims
protected from any retaliation.

While the establishment of the National Commission for the investigation
of rape is a positive initiative, it is necessary that the Commission
broaden its mandate to investigate all forms of violence against women;
diversify its composition to include social workers, medical staff,
international observers and the like; improve its data collection methods
and collaborate with the United Nations and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) in this regard.

Finally, I strongly encourage the Sudanese Government to ratify the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the
rights of women in Africa, thus commencing a dialogue for the improvement
of the legal protection of women's rights in Sudan, and also implement
effectively current obligations under international law.

Also during my visit to the country, I attended, along with Angela Melo,
Special Rapporteur on women's rights of the African Commission on Human
and Peoples Rights, the first Africa Regional Consultation on violence
against women. This was followed by a National Consultation with Sudanese
women's NGOs.

In order to assess reports and allegations regarding Darfur I met with
Sudanese officials and civil society as well as representatives of the
United Nations and of international NGOs. I traveled to Nyala in South
Darfur and El Genina in West Darfur. I undertook field visits and
interviewed internally displaced persons in Kalma, Kass and Ardamata
camps.  In Nyala I also visited the female section of Nyala prison.

I wish to thank the Government of Sudan for inviting me to visit Darfur
and facilitating my mission. I am particularly grateful for the assistance
provided by the Advisory Council for Human Rights. I also wish to thank
the team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the
country for their assistance, and the African Union for their logistical
support.

I will present a full report to the sixty-first session of the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights in 2005.



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