What changed

B100185/2025

B100189/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the severe political, humanitarian and human rights crisis in Sudan, in particular the sexual violence and child rape

(2025/2595(RSP))

The European Parliament,

− having regard to its previous resolutions on Sudan,

− having regard to restrictive measures in force adopted by the Council against entities or individuals belonging or affiliated to the SAF and the RSF and responsible for supporting activities undermining the stability and political transition of Sudan,

− having regard to the “Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan”,

− having regard to UN Security Council resolution 2715 adopted on 1 December 2023,

– having regard to Rule 150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas in the conflict in Sudan an estimated 12.1 million people are at risk of rape and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV); whereas children are at particular risk, with UNICEF reporting at least 221 rape cases against children since 2024; whereas the real figures are expected to be much higher; whereas the youngest reported survivors of rape as a weapon of war in Sudan were four one-year olds;

A. whereas parties to the conflict in Sudan continue their fight over the control of the state and its resources since April 2023;

B. whereas the UNICEF reports that rape as a weapon of war has become shockingly commonplace in Sudan; whereas rape regularly occurs as armed men raid homes, attack girls on the street, or kidnap them; whereas girls, especially those who become pregnant as a result of rape, are often rejected by their families and communities;

B. whereas this conflict is causing declining humanitarian conditions, and the displacement of 14 million people as of March 2025; whereas approximately 61,800 children have been internally displaced since the onset of the war;

C. whereas women and girls are also vulnerable to rape and other forms of GBV at IDP sites;

C. whereas numerous acts of sexual based violence are reported, including rape and forced marriages, perpetrated by both factions involved in the conflict; whereas since the beginning of 2024 there were 221 rape cases against children, including 16 children under five years old;

D. whereas sexual violence during conflicts is a war crime under international law; whereas the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) outline this prohibition;

D. whereas Sudan continues to experience a prolonged famine, with shortages of basic supplies and fuel, in areas with constrained humanitarian access;

1. Condemns in the strongest terms the widespread sexual violence against women and girls committed across Sudan, in particular by Rapid Support Forces and their allies in Darfur, in Khartoum, in South Kordofan and in Gezira state;

E. whereas on 11 May 2023 the “Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan” was agreed on by the parties to the conflict; whereas negotiation efforts brokered by the United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) on behalf of the African Union in the fall of 2023 failed to produce results and no ceasefire agreements from previous negotiations were upheld;

2. Urges the Commission, Member States, and the international community to step up support to both the UN and Sudanese local responders on the frontline, including by increasing and expediting funding for civilian protection initiatives;

1. Calls on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities, facilitate humanitarian access, including by fulfilling their Jeddah commitments, and to seek a negotiated solution to the conflict; calls on external parties to the conflict to refrain from interferences fomenting conflict and instability, and instead to support efforts for a durable peace;

3. Calls on the Member States to encourage the United Nations, the African Union, and other regional organizations, to support the deployment a robust and dedicated mission to protect civilians and monitor human rights violations across Sudan;

2. Underlines the need to assure equitable access to humanitarian relief for civilians who are experiencing ongoing fighting and shortages of food, water and fuel, limited communications and electricity, and very high prices of essential items;

4. Demands that all perpetrators are held accountable; urges the Commission and Member States to support the ICC prosecutor’s investigation into crimes and atrocities in Darfur and provide the court with timely information and necessary political and financial support, and to support the mandate of the UN Fact Finding Mission on Sudan;

3. Urges all parties of the conflict to stop horrendous acts of sexual violence and child rape in particular which could constitute a war crime; underlines the need for specific support for the protection, care, treatment and support mechanisms for survivors of sexual violence;

5. Urges the Council to swiftly adopt targeted measures on entities and high-level commanders responsible for serious violations, including against RSF’s deputy commander Abdel Raheem Hamdan Dagalo, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo “Hemedti”, Sudan Shield Forces Commander Abu Aqla Keikel and SAF commanders and leaders involved or responsible for serious crimes;

4. Calls for all parties to give safe, timely and unhindered access to the World Food Programme and other humanitarian actors, as they cannot safely access people in the worst-affected conflict zones;

6. Urge the Commission and the HRVP to publicly condemn and take appropriate action towards states, including the United Arab Emirates, violating the existing arms embargo on Darfur and to support to expansion of the UN arms embargo on Darfur to all of Sudan;

5. Condemns violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by the conflicting parties, leading to the loss of thousands of lives;

7. Calls on the EU and Member States to step up their efforts to protect women’s and children´s rights and gender equality as indispensable and indivisible human rights, at home and everywhere in the world;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative, the Sudanese authorities, the African Union, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Pan-African Parliament.

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Member States, the authorities of Sudan, the African Union, and the United Nations;