Lack of funding exposes Sudanese displaced persons to violence and sexual exploitation

The Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster has warned that millions of displaced people are facing multiple risks, including rising levels of gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, due to the lack of funding for site management.

In a statement, the group said that “funding tracking records indicate that there is no funding available for site management needs for 2026, despite a requirement of $15 million to support 4 million displaced people in need of site management services.”

The statement noted that the absence of funding makes risks related to gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, and child protection harder to identify and address, particularly in the absence of a consistent presence to support safety audits, lighting, privacy measures, confidential complaint mechanisms, and referral systems.

The group aims to support 1.7 million displaced people, with 1.5 million identified as a priority, even though the total number of people in need is estimated at 4 million out of 9.1 million displaced across Sudan.

The statement further explained that the lack of funding increases the risk of evictions and issues related to housing, land, and property rights in shelters, schools, buildings, and informal displacement sites, due to the absence of early monitoring and communication with authorities or property owners.