Sudanese refugee camp in Chad, May 2023 - public domain image
By Global News Service
For more than a year, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been engaged in a bloody conflict, forcing thousands to flee their homes. Some refugees are living in forests, while others have tried to find refuge in neighboring countries like Chad. However, without adequate support from international organizations, these camps have become breeding grounds for disease outbreaks.
Sanitation infrastructure in some camps consists merely of holes in the ground serving as latrines, leading to dangerous conditions, especially for children, who often fall into these holes, Dr. Ihsan Fagiri, physician and member of the Sudanese Communist Party, reported at a press conference organized by the International Peoples’ Assembly (IPA), Peoples Dispatch and Madaar. Additionally, women and girls at the camps lack access to menstrual hygiene products and face constant threats of gender-based violence.
In Sudan, women face similar risks, with hundreds of documented rape cases possibly representing only a fraction of the true number. The stigma associated with rape exacerbates the mental health issues among survivors, pushing it to critical levels. Adequate care and psychological support for women, girls, and families are imperative, which will only be possible if the war stops, Fagiri asserted.
Far from bolstering aid efforts, United Nations (UN) agencies have scaled-down activities due to blockades by authorities and direct attacks from both warring parties, adding to the burden of hunger shouldered by the people of the country.
from the Peoples Dispatch / Globetrotter News Service
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