UN Organization: 88 Percent of Adolescents in Darfur Refuse to Report Violence and Sexual Exploitation

Plan International said today (Tuesday) that 88 percent of adolescents in Dar Salam and Tawila in the Darfur region refuse to seek help for gender-based violence due to fear of stigma and poor services.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says that 12.3 million women and girls are at risk of gender-based violence in 2026, an 80 percent increase compared to 2024.

Plan International published the results of a gender analysis in Dar Salam and Tawila, based on group discussions with adolescents and interviews with community leaders, health and educational institutions, and protection agencies.

The organization said in a report on the results of the analysis that 88.3 percent of adolescents, despite knowing where to report gender-based violence, were prevented from seeking help by the fear of stigma and weak response services.

The report explained that girls reported feeling safe only inside their homes or cramped camps during the day, causing them to live in near-total isolation. They are confined to their homes or displacement camps and only go out during the day when they feel safe.

The report stated that rape, sexual exploitation, assault, harassment, and violence, as well as the threat posed by armed groups, have severely restricted the movement of girls, isolating them from education, health services, and community life.