On Thursday, December 23, 2021, hundreds of Sudanese women have taken to the streets in and around Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, to protest against sexual violence and harassment during a pro-democracy protest.
The protesters delivered a memorandum to the Khartoum office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, demanding an investigation into the cases of sexual and physical violence.
Earlier this week, the United Nations said it received 13 allegations of rape by security forces during Sunday’s rally in Sudan, on December 19, 2021.
According to the UN, Sudanese security forces were alleged to have raped or gang-raped at least 13 women and girls in last Sunday’s mass demonstration outside the presidential palace in Khartoum.
The UN Human Rights Office spokeswoman Liz Throssell affirmed that the office received 13 allegations of rape and gang rape, as well as reports of sexual harassment against women by security forces as they attempted to flee.
“We urge a prompt, independent and thorough investigation into the allegations of rape and sexual harassment as well as the allegations of death and injury of protesters as a result of the unnecessary or disproportionate use of force in particular the use of live ammunition,” said Throssell.
Medical sources affirmed that at least two people were killed by security forces during Sunday’s rally against the military coup.
