Women This Week: Women This Week: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan Disproportionately Impacts Women and Girls

UN Calls for International Support for Conflict in Sudan 

The current conflict in Sudan—which began in April 2023—is having a devastating impact on women and girls. According to a new report from UN Women, gender-based violence has increased by 100 percent. Over 2.5 million girls are unable to return to school, which is approximately 74 percent of all school-aged girls, exacerbating the risks of child marriage and female genital mutilation. And nearly 5.8 million women and girls are internally displaced, with 80 percent unable to access clean water and 1.63 million women unable to access reproductive services. As the country suffers its worst levels of food insecurity, women-headed households are reporting higher levels of insecurity, and a report from Reuters cites that the Sudan military and rival paramilitary forces have blocked UN attempts to deliver aid to those suffering famine. “Now, more than ever, the international community must rally together to support women in Sudan, ensuring they have the resources and protection they need to survive and rebuild their lives,” commented Hodan Addou, acting regional director for UN Women.    

Claudia Sheinbaum Sworn in as First Female President of Mexico 

On Tuesday, Claudia Sheinbaum—the first woman elected to lead in North America—was sworn in as president of Mexico. Sheinbaum, who will also be the continent’s first Jewish president, won nearly 60 percent of the votes for her left-leaning Morena party, which currently maintains supermajority control in both houses of the legislature. Women will make up half of Sheinbaum’s cabinet, as well as half of congressional seats and one-third of the governorships. “This marks the arrival of all those who dreamed of the possibility that, one day, it wouldn’t matter if we were born a woman or man, that we could realize our dreams and desires, without our sex determining our destiny!” she said. Mexico currently has gender quotas enshrined in its constitution, requiring parties to seek gender parity in their candidates for local and federal elections.   

Efforts Being Made to Formally Challenge the Taliban Government over Abhorrent Treatment of Women.  

A group of countries has taken formal steps to challenge the Taliban for violating its commitments under the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Representatives from Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have taken the first step before filing official proceedings with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to bring the country to court over gender discrimination. According to Article 29 of CEDAW, if the states cannot settle the claim through negotiations, the dispute can be submitted for arbitration. If the parties cannot reach an agreement on the arbitration after six months, the case can be referred to the ICJ. Akila Radhakrishnan from the Atlantic Council has said, “This case, by centering violations of women’s rights not only has the potential to deliver much needed justice to the women and girls of Afghanistan, but also forge new precedents for gender justice.” In its latest attempt to bar women from participation in public life, the Taliban most recently rolled out new restrictions on women speaking or singing in public.