More than 150 women raped in South Sudan

new york — More than 150 women and girls have come forward in the past 12 days to seek help in South Sudan after they were raped or suffered other forms of sexual violence, the heads of three UN agencies said on Monday.

Armed men, many in uniform, carried out the attacks near the northern city of Bentiu, according to a joint statement from Henrietta Fore, who heads the UN children’s agency Unicef, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock and the director of the United Nations Population Fund, Natalia Kanem.

The three agencies condemned “these abhorrent attacks” and called on South Sudan authorities to ensure the perpetrators face justice.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) last week said 125 women and girls had been raped while walking to emergency food distribution centres set up by international aid agencies.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attacks.

“These horrific acts are a distressing reminder of how, despite recent recommitments by South Sudan’s leaders to a cessation of hostilities and a revitalised peace agreement, the security situation for civilians remains dire, especially for women and children,” he said in a statement.

He urged all parties to the conflict and future leaders in South Sudan “to ensure the safety of civilians and address impunity for these crimes through investigation and prosecution of perpetrators.”

At war since 2013, South Sudan has seen horrific levels of sexual violence.

In the first half of 2018, some 2,300 cases were reported, the vast majority of those targeting women and girls.

Over 20 per cent of the victims were children, the UN statement said. The three agencies said the actual number of rapes was far higher because the violence is severely underreported. —

These horrific acts are a distressing reminder of how the security situation for civilians remains dire, especially for women and children,

Antonio Guterres, UN chief