Geneva: The UN Women's Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Anna Mutavati, stated Tuesday that the ongoing conflict in Sudan has turned into "a war on women". During a press briefing in Geneva, Mutavati described the situation as "the world's most extreme crisis for women and girls," pointing out that they continue to bear the brunt of Sudan's prolonged conflict, which has ravaged communities for more than two years.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Mutavati reported that UN Women's latest Gender Alert titled "Gender Dimensions of Food Insecurity in Sudan" indicates that nearly 11 million women and girls are now acutely food insecure. "Simply being a woman in Sudan is a strong predictor of hunger, violence, and death," Mutavati said.
She noted that famine has been officially declared by the IPC in El Fasher and Kadugli, adding that 73 percent of women do not meet the minimum dietary diversity, exposing them to severe malnutrition and health risks. Mutavati stressed that the collapse of the health system has further deepened the crisis, saying that over 80 percent of medical facilities have shut down since the war began, leading to alarming increases in maternal health complications, including 28 percent high-risk pregnancies and 45 percent with a history of miscarriages.
"In El Fasher, pregnant women have given birth in the streets after maternity hospitals were looted and destroyed," she added, describing the situation as "catastrophic." She called for an immediate halt to hostilities, the implementation of the proposed humanitarian ceasefire, and the creation of safe corridors for women, girls, and civilians. Mutavati urged humanitarian agencies to prioritize women-headed households in food aid and livelihood recovery and to protect aid workers, especially local women who risk their lives daily.
She said that despite the hardship, women-led organizations have remained "the bedrock of the humanitarian response," operating community kitchens and supporting malnourished children. Mutavati stressed that only three percent of humanitarian funding reaches these organizations directly, according to UN Women.