Sexual violence in conflicts worldwide increased by 25% last year, UN says

The United Nations – Sexual violence in conflicts around the world increased by 25% last year, the largest number of cases in the Central African Republic, Congo, Haiti, Somalia and South Sudan, according to a United Nations report published Thursday.

The annual report of Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that more than 4,600 people survived sexual violence in 2024, armed groups, but some by government forces. He pointed out that the unaccvious figures do not reflect the global scale and the prevalence of these crimes.

The names of the black list of the 63 parts of the government report and non -governmental in a dozen countries suspected of committing or being responsible for rape and other forms of sexual violence in conflicts, including Hamas activists, including the attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, triggered war in Gaza.

More than 70% of the people listed appeared on the black annex to the report for five years or more without creating steps to prevent violence, said the UN chief.

For the first time, the report includes two parties which have been informed that the UN has “credible information” which could put it on the black list of next year if they do not take preventive measures: the military and security forces of Israel for allegations of sexual abuse of the Palestinians mainly in prisons and detention, and Russian forces and armed groups affiliated to Ukrainian war.

The United Nations Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon, who circulated a letter from Guterres on Tuesday about the country’s forces, said allegations “are imbued with biased publications”.

“The UN must focus on shocking war crimes and Hamas’ sexual violence and the release of all hostages,” he said.

Russia’s UN mission said it was no comments on the secretary general’s warning.

The 34 -page report said that “sexual violence linked to conflicts” refers to rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, forced sterilization, forced marriage and other forms of sexual violence. The majority of victims are women and girls.

“In 2024, proliferating and growing conflicts were marked by generalized sexual violence linked to conflicts, in the midst of record levels of increased displacement and militarization,” Guterres said. “Sexual violence has continued to be used as a tactic of war, torture, terrorism and political repression, while multiple and overlapping political, security and over -the -countryside have been deepened.”

The UN says that women and girls have been attacked at home, on the roads and while trying to make a living, victims aged 1 to 75. Summary execution reports of victims after rape persisted in Congo and Myanmar, he said.

In an increasing number of places, the report indicates that armed groups “used sexual violence as a tactical to acquire and consolidate control over the territory and lucrative natural resources”.

Women and girls perceived as associated with rival armed groups have been targeted with sexual violence in the Central African Republic, Congo and Haiti, he said.

In detention establishments, the report indicates that sexual violence has been perpetrated “including as a form of torture”, would have been in Israel and in the Palestinian territories, Libya, Myanmar, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.

“Most of the incidents reported against men and boys have occurred in detention, in accordance with previous years, and included rape, threats of rape and electrocution and beat of the genitals,” said the report.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic has documented cases of rape, gang rape, forced marriage and sexual slavery affecting 215 women, 191 girls and seven men.

In the Oriental Congo rich in minerals, the peacekeeping mission documented nearly 800 cases last year, including rape, rape of gangs, sexual slavery and forced marriage, “often accompanied by extreme physical violence”, according to the report. The number of cases involving the Rebel M23 group, now controlling the main city of Goma, increased from 43 in 2022 to 152 in 2024, he said.

In Sudan, where the civil war rages, the report said that groups providing services to victims of sexual violence have recorded 221 cases of rape against 147 girls and 74 boys since the beginning of 2024, “with 16% of survivors under the age of five, including four alumni.”

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