Special Rapporteur on violence against women, mission statement for Sudan

Rashida Manjoo, United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, conducted an official visit to Sudan, invited by the Government, to analyse the  causes and consequences of VAW across the Country. She observed that violence against women is an issue of concern in Sudan despite the existence of programme, policies and laws. Reports and interviews refer to the existence of violence in the family and the community, including against women and girl children, whether physical, psychological, sexual or economic. But the silence and the denials, whether by state authorities or many civil society participants, regarding the subject of violence as experienced by women, is a source of concern. Another source of concern is the discriminatory interpretation and implementation of provisions of some laws, e.g. the Criminal Law, the Public Order Law and the Personal Status Law. According to Rashida Manjoo though, despite the situation of insecurity in parts of the Sudan there have been legislative and institutional developments to address the situation of women’s human rights in general and violence against women in particular.

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