United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has warned that violence against women and girls around the world continues to be driven by armed conflict, militarisation and entrenched inequality, urging governments to move beyond expressions of concern and adopt concrete measures to protect vulnerable populations. Speaking at a high-level meeting marking five years of the UN Group of Friends for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls, Mohammed stressed that ongoing conflicts across several regions are exposing women and girls to severe and long-lasting harm, underscoring the urgent need for stronger international commitment to accountability, justice and inclusive governance.
Mohammed delivered the remarks on Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women at United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the United Nations’ principal global body dedicated to promoting gender equality and the rights and empowerment of women. Established in 1946 by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the Commission plays a central role in shaping international standards on women’s rights and reviewing global progress toward gender equality. Its annual sessions bring together representatives of governments, UN agencies and civil society organisations to examine persistent barriers to women’s rights and to propose policy solutions aimed at advancing gender justice and inclusive development worldwide.
Highlighting the scale of the crisis facing women and girls in conflict settings, Mohammed cited United Nations data showing that more than 4,500 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were verified globally in 2024 alone. However, the UN has repeatedly cautioned that the true number is likely far higher, as many incidents remain unreported due to stigma, fear of retaliation, the collapse of judicial systems and weak reporting mechanisms in war-affected areas.
International agencies such as UN Women, United Nations Population Fund and the World Health Organization have consistently warned that gender-based violence intensifies during armed conflicts and humanitarian crises. Global estimates from these organisations suggest that roughly one in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime, with the risk significantly heightened in fragile or conflict-affected regions where institutions meant to provide protection and justice are weakened or destroyed.
The deputy secretary-general pointed to several ongoing crises that illustrate the devastating consequences of conflict for women and girls. In Sudan, UN experts have documented widespread sexual violence, including attacks targeting women human rights defenders and activists who attempt to document abuses or advocate for victims.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the world’s most protracted conflict zones, reports indicate that a child is raped every half hour, highlighting the staggering scale of sexual violence affecting communities caught in cycles of armed violence. Meanwhile, in Haiti, sexual violence against children has surged dramatically in recent years as gang violence and institutional collapse have created conditions in which vulnerable populations face heightened exploitation and abuse.
Mohammed emphasised that the continued exclusion of women from peace negotiations and political decision-making processes undermines efforts to build sustainable peace in conflict-affected societies. She warned that durable stability cannot be achieved if half the population remains marginalised and unprotected, arguing that women must play central roles in conflict resolution, peacebuilding and governance. According to UN research, peace agreements are significantly more likely to endure when women participate meaningfully in negotiations, yet women remain severely underrepresented in formal peace processes worldwide.
In a related development, Volker Türk expressed alarm over the devastating impact of escalating drone warfare on civilians in Sudan, amid reports that more than 200 civilians have been killed by drone strikes since March 4 in the Kordofan region and White Nile state. The UN human rights chief condemned the increasing use of explosive weapons in populated areas and warned that the pattern of attacks represents a grave threat to civilian safety. “It is deeply troubling that despite multiple reminders, warnings and appeals, parties to the conflict continue to use increasingly powerful drones to deploy explosive weapons with wide-area impacts in populated areas,” the High Commissioner said.
Türk renewed his appeal for both sides in the brutal civil conflict between rival military factions in Sudan to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence. He said, “particularly the clear prohibition on directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects and infrastructure, and against any form of indiscriminate attacks.” Reports from conflict monitoring groups and humanitarian organisations indicate that the intensification of drone warfare has led to significant civilian casualties and widespread destruction of essential infrastructure across affected regions.
In West Kordofan, at least 152 civilians have reportedly been killed by drone strikes attributed to the Sudanese army, including at least 50 victims who died when a market and a hospital were hit. Additional attacks on two separate markets in Abu Zabad and Wad Banda on March 7 left at least 40 civilians dead. A lorry carrying civilians was also struck allegedly by a Sudanese Armed Forces drone on March 10, reportedly killing at least 50 civilians. Meanwhile, in South Kordofan, at least 39 civilians were reportedly killed, including 14 in the state capital of Dilling, following heavy artillery shelling carried out by the Rapid Support Forces and allied Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North between March 4 and March 5.
Humanitarian reports indicate that many homes, schools, markets and health facilities were damaged or destroyed in the attacks, further compounding the already dire humanitarian situation facing local communities. The UN human rights chief also voiced concern over the recent expansion of the conflict to White Nile state, which has come under sustained drone attacks by the Rapid Support Forces since March 4. In one such incident, a secondary school and a health clinic in Shukeiri village were hit on March 11, reportedly killing at least 17 civilians, including a health worker. Reflecting on the growing scale of the violence, Türk said: “It will soon be three full years since the senseless conflict in Sudan began, devastating millions of lives and livelihoods. Yet the violence, fueled by these new technologies of war, simply keeps spreading.”
The ongoing conflict in Sudan erupted in April 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, plunging the country into a devastating civil war that has displaced millions and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to analyses by the United Nations, the International Crisis Group and international media reports. Fighting between the rival military factions has devastated urban centres, disrupted humanitarian aid operations and contributed to widespread famine conditions in several regions, while also creating conditions in which gender-based violence has surged dramatically.
The high-level discussions at the Commission on the Status of Women are taking place against this backdrop of escalating global crises affecting women and girls. The 70th session of the Commission, which opened on Monday and will run until March 19, has brought together representatives of UN member states, UN agencies and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organisations from all regions of the world, including Nigeria. Participants are engaging in negotiations, policy dialogues and side events aimed at strengthening international cooperation to advance gender equality and address persistent forms of discrimination and violence against women.
The priority theme of the session focuses on ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls. Discussions are centred on promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices, and addressing structural barriers that prevent women and girls from seeking justice or obtaining protection from violence.
UN officials and civil society advocates say the outcomes of the session will help shape international policy responses aimed at protecting women and girls in conflict zones, strengthening accountability for perpetrators of gender-based violence and advancing global commitments to gender equality.