UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on situation in Sudan
/
2:28
/
MP4
/
358.5 MB
Download

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on situation in Sudan

I cannot overstate the seriousness of the situation in Sudan; the desperate plight of the Sudanese people; and the urgency with which we must act to ease their suffering,” the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Speaking when he presented his annual report on the situation in Sudan, the UN Human Rights Chief said, “Since the armed conflict began in April 2023 the devastating human rights crisis that has ensued has generated the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe.”

More than six hundred thousand people are on the brink of starvation. Famine is reported to have taken hold in five areas, including Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, where the World Food Programme has just been forced to suspend its lifesaving operations due to intense fighting. Five more areas could face famine in the next three months, and a further 17 are at risk” he said.

Adding, “This is the biggest displacement crisis in the world.”

The report details horrific scope of violations and abuses committed in Sudan up to late last year and underscores the need for accountability. It says the parties to the conflict committed acts, some of which may constitute war crimes and other atrocity crimes.

“We are looking into the abyss. Humanitarian agencies warn that without action to end the war, deliver emergency aid, and get agriculture back on its feet, hundreds of thousands of people could die,” Türk warned.

“This horrific situation is the result of grave and flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, and a culture of utter impunity,” he said.

“As the fighting has spread across the country, appalling levels of sexual violence have followed. More than half of reported rape incidents took the form of gang rape – an indication that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war,” he said.

“Sudan is a powder keg, on the verge of a further explosion into chaos, and at increasing risk of atrocity crimes and mass deaths from famine. We need urgent action now, to find a path to peace,” said the UN’s top human rights official.

For more information and media requests, please contact

Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org

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

Seif Magango +41 79 752 0488/ seif.magango@un.org

Tag and share –

Twitter: @UNHumanRights

Facebook: unitednationshumanrights

Instagram: @unitednationshumanrights

STORY: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on situation in Sudan

TRT: 02:28

SOURCE: OHCHR/UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: None
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 27 FEBRUARY 2025 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior shot: Palais des Nations
  2. Interior shot: Room 20
  3. SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “I cannot overstate the seriousness of the situation in Sudan; the desperate plight of the Sudanese people; and the urgency with which we must act to ease their suffering.”
  4. Cut away: Room 20
  5. SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Since the armed conflict began in 2023, a devastating human rights crisis has generated the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe.”
  6. Cut away: Room 20
  7. SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “More than six hundred thousand people are on the brink of starvation. Famine is reported to have taken hold in five areas, including Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur, where the World Food Programme has just been forced to suspend its lifesaving operations due to intense fighting. Five more areas could face famine in the next three months, and a further 17 are at risk.”
  8. Cut away: Room 20
  9. SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:

“This is the biggest displacement crisis in the world.”

  1. Cut away: Room 20
  2. SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “We are looking into the abyss. Humanitarian agencies warn that without action to end the war, deliver emergency aid, and get agriculture back on its feet, hundreds of thousands of people could die.”
  3. Cut away: Room 20
  4. SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:

“This horrific situation is the result of grave and flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, and a culture of utter impunity.

  1. Cut away: Room 20
  2. SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “

As the fighting has spread across the country, appalling levels of sexual violence have followed. More than half of reported rape incidents took the form of gang rape – an indication that sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war.”

  1. Cut away: Room 20
  2. SOUNDBITE (English)— Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Sudan is a powder keg, on the verge of a further explosion into chaos, and at increasing risk of atrocity crimes and mass deaths from famine. We need urgent action now, to find a path to peace.


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 1
Download UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on situation in Sudan
Download

Similar Stories

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNWOMEN

Widespread starvation in Gaza – IPC, UN Women 29 July 2025 ENG FRA

Aid agencies echoed wider warnings of growing signs of widespread starvation in Gaza on Tuesday, as UN-partnered international food security experts released their most dire assessment yet of the situation in the wartorn enclave.

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | IOM , UNDP , UNHCR

Sudan displaced return – IOM, UNDP, UNHCR 25 July 2025 ENG FRA

Sudan: urgent help needed as more than 1.3 million war-displaced people begin to return home

As conflict rages on across parts of Sudan, pockets of relative safety have emerged in the past four month, spurring more than one million internally displaced Sudanese to make their way home, says the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A further 320,000 cross-border refugees have come back to Sudan since last year, mainly from Egypt and South Sudan, to assess the current situation before deciding to return to their country for good.

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , WHO

Gaza crisis update UNRWA – WHO 22 July 2025 ENG FRA

Gaza: SOS messages describe people fainting from hunger; UN health worker detained

Worrying alerts from United Nations staff in Gaza who have been fainting from hunger and exhaustion over the past 48 hours have increased fears for people’s survival in the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNHCR , UNOG

Funding cuts impact on aid access - UNHCR Dominique Hyde - 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Over 11.6 million refugees risk losing aid access due to funding cuts, says UNHCR

Approximately one in three refugees and other vulnerable individuals normally supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) are expected to lose out from funding cuts, it said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani on opening mission in Bangladesh ENG FRA

Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, made the following announcement on the Office’s opening of a new mission in Bangladesh.

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on returns of Afghans ENG FRA

The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community,” UN Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday.  

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on violence in Suweida, Syria ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday called for accountability and justice for the killings and other gross human rights violations and abuses in the southern city of Suweida. 

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR

Syria Sweida violence OHCHR – UNHCR 18 July 2025 ENG FRA

Syria: hundreds killed in Sweida, ‘widespread’ violations as civilians flee for their lives

Amid violent clashes in southern Syria’s Sweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell on Ukraine ENG

At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva the UN Human Rights Spokesperson Liz Throssell made the following statement on the latest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine.

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Briefing on West Bank ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called for investigations into hundreds of killings of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank by Israeli security forces and settlers, warning against ongoing forced mass displacement of the Palestinian population.

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA  15 July 2025

1

1

2

Edited News | OHCHR , UNRWA

Gaza And Occupied West Bank Update - OHCHR, UNRWA 15 July 2025 ENG FRA

Nearly 900 people have been killed in Gaza in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence  in Haiti

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on escalating gang violence in Haiti ENG FRA

The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.