UN Authority Figures

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Executive Committee: Sudan

Abuse victims in Darfur, western Sudan, have bravely described how armed gangs ambushed them near refugee camps, with some even losing consciousness while being raped. Almost three-quarters of the victims did not report their attack and campaigners say the law in Sudan confuses rape with adultery.
Source: The Daily Express, November 12, 2015

Mission of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees: "The High Commissioner for Refugees is mandated by the United Nations to lead and coordinate international action for the worldwide protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee problems. UNHCR's primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. In its efforts to achieve this objective, UNHCR strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, and to return home voluntarily." (UNHCR Website, "Mission Statement")

Sudan's Term of office: 1979-

Sudan's Record on the Treatment of Refugees:
"In September OCHA reported approximately 351, 000 newly displaced IDPs in Darfur. The new IDPs joined the two million IDPs living in Darfur as of 2013. According to the UNHCR, approximately 362,771 Sudanese refugees from Darfur remained in Chad and 2,700 Sudanese refugees from Darfur remained in the Central African Republic... at least 62 girls were raped in 40 separate incidents in Darfur. In Darfur it was believed most rape victims did not report incidents, and the actual number of rapes was likely much higher. Perpetrators included government forces in at least three cases... The government's encampment policy requires asylum seekers and refugees to stay in designated camps. The government did not allow the establishment of formal IDP camps in White Nile, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile... Government officials routinely took up to three months to approve individual refugee status and asylum statuses... Human rights advocates claimed the delay in granting legal status was one reason why some new refugees left camps before registering with the UNHCR. Refugees often relied on human smuggling networks to leave camps. Traffickers routinely abused and tortured refugees if ransoms were not paid... Asylum seekers were vulnerable to arbitrary arrest, harassment, and beatings outside of camps, because applicants did not receive identification cards while awaiting government determination of refugee status. Refugees and asylum seekers also were subject to arrest due to the government's encampment policy, which makes it illegal to move from assigned camps without prior government authorization...There were abuses, including gender-based violence, in the camps."
(U.S. State Department's Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2014, Sudan)