The 36th Special Session of the Human Rights Council on the human rights impact of the ongoing conflict in the Sudan

 11 May 2023

Statement of the International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discriminations (EAFORD)

Delivered by Farah Caïdi / GICJ

Thank you President, 

We welcome the conduct of this session, and wish to insist on the humanitarian emergency in the country. 

The numbers reported on the ground are unequivocal in confirming the humanitarian crisis affecting the population, as a result of continued instability for years. 

The utmost urgency is to guarantee humanitarian access no matter what, in accordance with humanitarian obligations. Humanitarian actors must be guaranteed the necessary safety to intervene. People in need of assistance reached more than 15 millions, the third of Sudan’s population. And that was before the current crisis began. 

We had too many worrying testimonies of an already fragile economy and precarious healthcare system. Now, health workers also have to deal with water shortage, power outage and lack of basic medical supplies, with the constant fear of being caught in the crossfire as some attacks have been directed to health facilities. 

The number of internal displaced people and refugees was high before the conflict, it dramatically increased in the past weeks. We therefore ask for urgent and prompt measures to be taken to assist the displaced and neighbouring countries in this period. 

EAFORD and Geneva International for Justice (GICJ) insist again that assistance to civilians be the utmost priority of this council. Civilians must be assured a safe evacuation from their home and security must be guaranteed for the ten of thousands that have already left. We join the call for cessation of hostilities, and respect for principles of international law, from all parties, especially the prohibition to target civilians. 

Thank you.