“Lives and infrastructure are being destroyed, and the security situation is impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid,” said Volker Perthes, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sudan, briefing the Security Council on Monday about recent developments.

Five weeks since the eruption of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April, the conflict had shown no signs of slowing down despite repeated declarations of ceasefire by both sides, said Mr. Perthes, who also heads the UN mission in the country, UNITAMS.

If honoured, the pending week-long renewable ceasefire should ease aid deliveries to millions in need and “pave the way for peace talks”, he told the Council.

Civilians paying steep price

However, he raised myriad grave concerns about serious human rights violations, rampant looting, and a flood of weapons throughout the country.

In addition, he said the growing ethnicization of the conflict risks engulfing the country in a prolonged conflict, with implications for the region, calling on both parties to return to dialogue in the interest of Sudan and its people.

Civilians have paid a heavy price for this “senseless violence”, he said, noting the more than 860 reported deaths, including 190 children, another 3,500 injured, and many missing. The violence displaced more than one million people; more than 840,000 fled to safer areas while another 250,000 have crossed the borders.

‘Serious human rights violations’

The fighting throughout the country has resulted in “serious human rights abuses and violations” of international humanitarian law and undermined the protection of civilians.

“These violations must be investigated, and the perpetrators brought to justice,” he said. “The UN family continues to monitor and advocate for an end to all violations.”

In Khartoum, Darfur, and elsewhere, the warring parties continue fighting without regard for the laws and norms of war, he said, pointing to destroyed or damaged homes, shops, places of worship, and water and electricity installations, alongside a collapsing health sector, with more than two-thirds of hospitals closed, many healthcare workers killed, and medical supplies running low.

Appalled by reports of sexual violence against women and girls, he said the UN is following up to verify these cases. He also raised concerns of rampant looting and enforced disappearances, and that children continue to be vulnerable to recruitment and use as soldiers, sexual violence, and abduction.

Criminality is compounded by the release of thousands of prisoners and the increasing spread of small arms, he warned.

Spiralling ethnic violence

In El Geneina in West Darfur, clashes between the parties spiralled into ethnic violence on 24 April. Tribal militias joined the fight and civilians took up arms to defend themselves, he said.

Homes, markets, and hospitals were ransacked and burned, and UN premises looted. Renewed violence reportedly led to at least another 280 deaths and tens of thousands displaced to Chad, he said.

Worrying signs of tribal mobilization are also being reported in South Kordofan as well as the Blue Nile region, he warned.

While blame is circulating that the UN did not foresee the conflict, he said the responsibility for the fighting rests with those currently waging it.

“The fighting parties’ decision to fight out their differences on the ground instead of through dialogue is devastating Sudan,” he said.

Cost of war

Commending efforts led by Saudi Arabia and the United States, he said the SAF and RSF signed the Declaration of Commitments in Jeddah on 11 May, representing an “important step” that commits to respecting international humanitarian law and allow humanitarian access.

Through a hub in Port Sudan, UNITAMS has supported UN Country Team efforts and humanitarian partners to restore the flow of aid supplies into and within the country, he said.

But, additional funding is urgently needed, he said, noting that the revised humanitarian response plan launched on 17 May, requesting $2.6 billion dollars to reach 18 million people, has ballooned from $15 million before the fighting.

“As the talks advance, a diverse array of civil and political stakeholders must play their role,” he said. “Ultimately, only a credible civilian-led transition can chart lasting peace in Sudan.”

Refugee crisis

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Raouf Mazou, on Monday, urged increased international support and attention for displaced people from Sudan, including refugees, refugee returnees, and host communities.

Without a concrete and immediate solution, more people are expected to flee from Sudan seeking safety, he cautioned.

Mr. Mazou visited a recent refugee site in Borota, Chad, only a few kilometres from the Sudan border, where 25,000 Sudanese arrived a week ago as the fighting intensified.

“Almost 90 per cent of new arrivals are women and children,” he said, noting that many people have been sheltering under trees in makeshift shelters with very limited services and minimal resources

“As the rainy season approaches, we urgently need to relocate new arrivals to the nearest refugee camps,” he said.

Humanitarian needs are growing

UN agencies have been scrambling to provide assistance to those in need, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has so far reached nearly 450,000 people with food and nutrition support since its distributions resumed on 3 May, and plans are in place to start distributions in Wadi Halfa in Northern State to more than 9,000 people who are fleeing to Egypt.

The UN food agency is also planning to assess the needs of 500,000 men, women and children who are currently trapped in Khartoum, he said, adding that the assessment “should start in the coming days if the security situation allows us to do that”.

Meanwhile, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners are providing access to clean water and sanitation, as well as hygiene in key locations, helping to deliver some 235,000 litres of clean water to health-care facilities in North Darfur and provided clean water to some 40,000 people in East Darfur in the Elneem camp for internally displaced people.

At the same time, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has provided fuel for four maternity hospitals in Khartoum to ensure life-saving health services are available for women and girls who need, Mr. Dujarric said.

Learn more about what the UN is doing to help the Sudanese people here.

Captain Cecilia Erzuah, 32, who has served in Abyei since March last year, as the Commander of the Ghana Engagement Platoon, will receive the award from Secretary-General António Guterres during a ceremony marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers this Thursday, said the Department of Peace Operations in a press release.

Abyei is a disputed and resource-rich area between Sudan and South Sudan, which is claimed by both sides. The Security Council authorized the deployment of a peacekeeping force there in 2011, as tensions rose ahead of South Sudan’s formal declaration of independence.

UNISFA works to strengthen the capacity of police service, in support of the 2011 agreement, and facilitates the delivery of humanitarian aid, the free movement of aid workers, and provides protection for civilians under threat.

‘Leading the way’

Created in 2016, the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award recognizes the dedication and efforts of an individual military peacekeeper in promoting the principles of the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

“Resolution 1325 reminds us that our women peacekeepers are not only supporting global peace and security. They are leading the way. By every measure, Captain Cecilia Erzuah of Ghana is one of those leaders,” said Secretary-General António Guterres.

“On every front, Captain Erzuah’s work has set the standard for ensuring that the needs and concerns of women are reflected across our peacekeeping operations.”

‘An award for all of us’

Captain Erzuah expressed her gratitude for being selected to receive the prize which she called “an award for all of us,” referring to her platoon members. 

An advocate for gender equality and community engagement, Capt. Erzuah made sure that her 22-strong platoon, composed equally of men and women, conducted regular patrols and outreach to local leaders as well as women’s and youth groups, to better understand and address community concerns and needs.

Together with civilian UN colleagues, she has also hosted discussions on domestic violence, gender equality and childcare, resulting in an increase in the number of women enlisted in Community Protection Committees, which were initially male dominated.

The engagement with community members led to improved early warning about threats of violence against civilians and broader security issues.

Monthly walks

The monthly market walks she initiated with her battalion also contributed to building strong and enduring relationships between traders, local residents and the UN.

In January this year, following a spike in community violence in Majbong, a village in southeast Abyei, Captain Erzuah’s platoon stepped up its presence, regularly checking on the plight of displaced people in the volatile area and enabling the Mission to provide necessary support.

Community members, who had sought sanctuary from the fighting in the surrounding bush, gradually began returning to their homes in the village and women reported feeling much safer.  “The mixed patrols are…boosting the confidence of members of the community to go about daily activities safely,” said Deng Paul Mankuol, a traditional chief in Majbong.

Captain Erzuah is the first Ghanaian peacekeeper, and the first recipient from a contingent or a unit, to receive this prestigious award.

Ghana is currently the largest contributor of women military peacekeepers to the United Nations with 375 now deployed.

More than seven million children under the age of five remain malnourished and in need of urgent nutrition aid, and over 1.9 million boys and girls* are at risk of dying from severe malnutrition.

As the region comes out of one of the worst droughts in 40 years, vulnerable communities have lost cattle, crops, and entire livelihoods over the past three years of failed rains. 

“The crisis in the Horn has been devastating for children,” said Mohamed Fall, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

“Over the past three years, communities have been forced to take extreme measures to survive, with millions of children and families leaving their homes out of pure desperation in search of food and water. This crisis has deprived children of the essentials of childhood – having enough to eat, a home, safe water, and going to school.”

Deadly consequences

While the rains postponed the worst, they have also led to floods, as the extremely thirsty ground is unable to absorb large quantities of water, leading to further displacement, increased risk of disease, livestock loss and crop damage.

 In Somalia, the rains have caused floods that have damaged homes, farmland, and roads, as well as washed away livestock and led to closures of schools and health facilities.

 Initial estimates indicate that the flash and riverine floods across the country have affected at least 460,470 people, of whom nearly 219,000 have been displaced from their homes mainly in flood-prone areas, and 22 killed.

Floods have also caused widespread destruction and displacement in several regions of Ethiopia.

The flooding has deepened the vulnerability of populations already highly affected by the drought as the areas hit hardest by flooding and drought overlap.

The floods have also worsened health risks, including cholera, with the current outbreak among the longest ever recorded in Ethiopia.

“The rains have brought some relief and hope, but also new threats, and recovery doesn’t happen overnight,” said Mr. Fall. “It takes time for crops and herds to grow again, for families to recover from years of hardship. That’s why continued support is still critical.”

Domino effect

Across the region, 23 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The number of severely malnourished children seeking treatment in the first quarter of this year remains much higher than last year and will likely remain high for quite a while.

On top of nutrition needs, extreme weather, insecurity, and scarcity have also had devastating consequences for women and children, worsening the risk of gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploitation and abuse. 

A path to recovery

Major outbreaks including cholera, measles, malaria, and other diseases are ongoing across the region, worsened by extreme weather conditions and fragile health systems. Food prices remain high in local markets, burdening children, and families. The climate crisis is compounding the severity of the situation, worsening mass displacement, malnutrition, and disease.   

Mr. Fall underlined the need for greater funding. Thanks to donor support, UNICEF was able to provide services for the prevention of malnutrition to over 30 million children and mothers in 2022.

“This year, further flexible funding will not just help children recover from a crisis of this magnitude, but also go towards developing more resilient, sustainable systems for children in the region, that can withstand future climate impacts and other shocks,” he said.

“With the extreme weather cycles that we see today in the Horn of Africa, the next crisis may hit before children and families have had a chance to recover,” he added.

the UN Human Rights Council said on Monday. 

The state of emergency was first approved in March 2022, and initially for a month, but has been renewed ever since, generating a wave of mass incarceration.  

The experts called for the measure to be lifted immediately and for the Government to review the sweeping new powers introduced to tackle the country’s gang problem. 

Trampling on rights 

“The state of emergency was declared following a series of gang-related killings. Despite its obligation to protect citizens from such atrocious acts, the Government cannot trample on fair trial rights in the name of public safety,” they said in a statement. 

The UN experts urged the authorities to ensure that people are not arrested on mere suspicion of gang membership or association without sufficient legal authorization. 

Detainees should also be afforded all fundamental safeguards required under international human rights law and guaranteed due process. 

Many arbitrary detentions 

They noted that in September 2022, official figures indicated some 58,000 people had been detained. An Executive Decree issued six months later put the number at “more than 67,000”. 

Information received indicates that many of these detentions are arbitrary, and some constitute short-term enforced disappearances, according to the experts. 

“The prolonged state of emergency, together with legislation allowing for greater surveillance, broader prosecution, and faster determination of guilt and sentencing carries the risk of mass violations of the right to a fair trial,” they added. “Those caught up in the Government’s dragnet in El Salvador must be given their rights.” 

They expressed concern about the Government’s reliance on the concept of “permanent flagrant crime” to influence warrantless arrests of people suspected of being gang members. 

Mass hearings, ‘faceless judges’ 

Initial court hearings were reportedly held in groups of up to 500 people. Furthermore, public defenders have been given some three to four minutes to present the cases of 400 to 500 detainees at a time, and mass trials have also been reported. 

“Mass hearings and trials – often conducted virtually – undermine the exercise of the right to defence and the presumption of innocence of detainees,” the experts said.  

“The excessive use of pre-trial detention, the prohibition of alternative measures, trials in absentia, and the possibility of using practices such as ‘faceless judges’ and reference witnesses all undermine due process guarantees.” 

Families also affected 

Thousands of families have also been severely affected economically, the experts added, as they have had to incur additional costs to defend their relatives and provide for their wellbeing, health, and safety. 

They said the measures threaten to criminalize people who happen to live in the most impoverished areas and who have themselves been targeted by gangs in the past. 

The experts warned that the level of disruption and interference in the justice system risks limiting access to justice for all Salvadorans.  

“It leads to undue delays in both civil and criminal cases, has a negative impact on guarantees of due process, protection against torture and of the right to life, and may lead to increased overcrowding in places of detention,” they said. 

About UN experts 

The three experts who issued the statement are Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, and Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. 

They receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council, which is based in Geneva. 

Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are not UN staff, and they are not paid for their work.