UN Human Rights Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al Nashif speech on Sudan 57th HRC
/
3:40
/
MP4
/
530.9 MB
Transcripts
Download

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC57 - UN Human Rights Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al-Nashif statement on Sudan

Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy Human Rights Chief told the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday that human rights violations and abuses by all parties to the conflict in Sudan continue to spiral out of control.

Over sixteen months on, the conflict in Sudan continues to spiral out of control. Civilians bear the brunt of hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and respective allied armed movements and militias, conducted with total disregard for international law,” she said.

Since the High Commissioner’s update to this Council in March, conflict has escalated further. Declarations by the warring parties of commitments to protect civilians remain empty, with violations continuing unabated.

The UN human rights office and the Designated Expert continue to document violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses by all parties to the conflict.

“Indiscriminate attacks and the use of weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated areas have resulted in thousands of civilian casualties, destruction of vital infrastructure – including hospitals, schools and markets – and decimation of sources of livelihoods,” Al-Nashif said.

Since May, El Fasher in North Darfur has been ravaged by heavy fighting: targeting of medical facilities has deprived the population of health services. From June to August, we documented over 864 civilian deaths in attacks on residential areas across Sudan.

“Our Office is particularly alarmed by the use, since the beginning of the conflict, of sexual violence as a weapon of war. We have documented 97 incidents involving 172 victims, predominantly women and girls – which is a gross under-representation of the reality. Responsibility for 81 per cent of incidents was attributed to men in RSF uniform and affiliated armed men, we also received credible reports of sexual violence attributed to SAF troops and allied armed movements, the deputy high commissioner said.

Nada Al-Nashif again urged the parties to issue and enforce strict command orders to prohibit and punish sexual violence, and to take other effective steps to prevent it.

“I am deeply troubled by ethnically motivated attacks and hate speech. Our Office documented multiple testimonies recounting summary executions, sexual violence and forced displacement perpetrated by the RSF and allied Arab militia, notably targeting the Masalit community in West Darfur. Ethnically motivated violence, harassment and arrests were also documented in Darfur and Al-Jazirah,” she said.

The mobilization of civilians, including children, has intensified across Sudan, particularly along tribal lines. This poses risks of a widening civil war with further ethnic dimensions.

Arbitrary detention by both parties, and allied armed movements, continues. The UN human rights office documented increasing arrests by Military Intelligence, and imposition of death sentences, for alleged support for the RSF, often based upon real or presumed tribal identity. They also documented unlawful detention, again often based on ethnicity, by the RSF in Darfur.

“This senseless conflict has a devastating impact on economic and social rights, in particular the rights to food, housing, and education. As a result, Over 20 per cent of the population is displaced – 10.7 million people internally and 2.1 million in neighbouring countries. Sudan faces critical levels of food insecurity, with imminent risk of famine and more than half of its population – 25.6 million people – in acute hunger,” the deputy high commissioner said.

وفي الختام او ان أشير الى ما أكد عليه المفوض السامي في تحديثه العالمي قبل سنتين الى وجود أمل. لكن يواجه الشعب السوداني اليوم واحدة من اسوأ الازمات التي يغذيها الافلات من العقاب وممارسات سلطوية تتغذى على التوترات العرقية، مدفوعة بمصالح سياسية واقتصادية ضيقة. ويجب على المجتمع الدولي الا يسمح باستمرار هذه الوضعية، وعلى هذه الماساة ان تنتهي الان.

[English translation: As the High Commissioner underscored in his Global Update, almost two years ago, there was hope. Today, the Sudanese people are experiencing one of the world’s worst crises, fueled by impunity and zero-sum power struggles feeding on ethnic tensions, driven by vested political and economic interests. The international community cannot let this continue, this tragedy needs to end, now.]

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:

Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org

Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org

Thameen Al-Kheetan: +41 22 917 4232 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org

Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights

STORY: UN Human Rights Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al-Nashif speech on Sudan 57th HRC

TRT: 03:39

SOURCE: OHCHR/ UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English / Arabic / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 10 September 2024 – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior shot: Palais des Nations
  2. Interior shot: Human Rights Council
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) — Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Over sixteen months on, the conflict in Sudan continues to spiral out of control. Civilians bear the brunt of hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and respective allied armed movements and militias, conducted with total disregard for international law.”
  4. Cutaway: Human Rights Council
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) — Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Indiscriminate attacks and the use of weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated areas have resulted in thousands of civilian casualties, destruction of vital infrastructure – including hospitals, schools and markets – and decimation of sources of livelihoods.”
  6. Cutaway: Human Rights Council
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) — Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Our Office is particularly alarmed by the use, since the beginning of the conflict, of sexual violence as a weapon of war. We have documented 97 incidents involving 172 victims, predominantly women and girls – which is a gross under-representation of the reality. Responsibility for 81 per cent of incidents was attributed to men in RSF uniform and affiliated armed men, we also received credible reports of sexual violence attributed to SAF troops and allied armed movements.”
  8. Cutaway: Human Rights Council
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) — Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “I am deeply troubled by ethnically motivated attacks and hate speech. Our Office documented multiple testimonies recounting summary executions, sexual violence and forced displacement perpetrated by the RSF and allied Arab militia, notably targeting the Masalit community in West Darfur. Ethnically motivated violence, harassment and arrests were also documented in Darfur and Al-Jazirah.”
  10. Cutaway: Human Rights Council
  11. SOUNDBITE (English) — Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights: “This senseless conflict has a devastating impact on economic and social rights, in particular the rights to food, housing, and education. As a result, Over 20 per cent of the population is displaced – 10.7 million people internally and 2.1 million in neighbouring countries. Sudan faces critical levels of food insecurity, with imminent risk of famine and more than half of its population – 25.6 million people – in acute hunger.”
  12. Cutaway: Human Rights Council
  13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) — Nada Al-Nashif, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights:

وفي الختام او ان أشير الى ما أكد عليه المفوض السامي في تحديثه العالمي قبل سنتين الى وجود أمل. لكن يواجه الشعب السوداني اليوم واحدة من اسوأ الازمات التي يغذيها الافلات من العقاب وممارسات سلطوية تتغذي على التوترات العرقية، مدفوعة بمصالح سياسية واقتصادية ضيقة. ويجب على المجتمع الدولي الا يسمح باستمرار هذه الوضعية، وعلى هذه الماساة ان تنتهي الان.

[English translation: As the High Commissioner underscored in his Global Update, almost two years ago, there was hope. Today, the Sudanese people are experiencing one of the world’s worst crises, fueled by impunity and zero-sum power struggles feeding on ethnic tensions, driven by vested political and economic interests. The international community cannot let this continue, this tragedy needs to end, now.].”

  1. Cutaway: Human Rights Council


Audio Files 1
Download UN Human Rights Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al Nashif speech on Sudan 57th HRC (Edited Story)
Download

Similar Stories

DRC  UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu   Ravina Shamdasani UN Human Rights Spokesperson

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu Ravina Shamdasani UN Human Rights Spokesperson ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025 ENG FRA

Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran ENG FRA

UN calls for Iran to halt executions and move towards ending the death penalty.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following comment on the killing of journalists in Gaza at the bi-weekly press briefing.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called on Egyptian authorities to end the practice known as “rotation”, which allows Government critics to be held arbitrarily and for prolonged periods.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Sudan attacks

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Sudan attacks ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on deadly attacks by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan 

Gaza City famine – UN OCHA, WFP, WHO, OHCHR 22 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR , UNITED NATIONS , WFP , WHO

Gaza City famine – UN OCHA, WFP, WHO, OHCHR 22 August 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: Famine “irrefutably” confirmed, UN humanitarians unite in plea for aid access

Famine has been confirmed in Gaza Governorate by the world’s top authority on food security and will spread further within the Strip unless fighting stops and much more aid is allowed in, UN humanitarians said on Friday.