JOHN: THIS WEEK, THE HEAD OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF - TOLD GLOBAL LEADERS THAT SUDAN IS NOW HOME TO THE WORLD'S BIGGEST AND MOST DEVASTATING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.

NEW UNICEF REPORT SAYS 30 MILLION PEOPLE ARE IN NEED OF HUMANITARIAN AID, MORE THAN HALF OF THEM CHILDREN.

MANY THEM FACE THREATS OF VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT ON A DAILY BASIS.

IT ALSO SAYS THAT IN FEWER THAN TWO YEARS OF CONFLICT, "THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT RISK OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE HAS MORE THAN TRIPLED" TO MORE THAN "12 MILLION PEOPLE OR 25% OF THE POPULATION."

ALI ROGIN SPOKE WITH UNICEF SPOKESPERSON TESS INGRAM WHO RECENTLY TRAVELED TO SUDAN.

ALI: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR FINDINGS FROM THIS REPORT?

TESS: THIS REPORT TELLS US THAT WE'RE FACING A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION IN SUDAN WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

IT IS BEING USED AS A WEAPON OF WAR TO INSTILL FEAR IN COMMUNITIES.

THE DATA WE GOT FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS IN SUDAN SHOWS THERE HAVE BEEN 221 CASES OF RAPE PERPETRATED AGAINST CHILDREN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2024.

AND IF THAT ALONE ISN'T SHOCKING, TELLS US THERE ARE REALLY YOUNG CHILDREN AND NOT COHORT AS YOUNG AS ONE YEAR OLD.

AND THE CASES OF RAPE ARE BEING PERPETRATED RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

IT IS WIDESPREAD TERROR WAGED ACROSS SUDAN.

JOHN: TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE CIVIL WAR FUELING THIS SEXUAL VIOLENCE?

MATTHEW: WE KNOW THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE EXISTED, INCLUDING BEING PERPETRATED AGAINST CHILDREN IN SUDAN BEFORE THIS CONFLICT, BUT WE HAVE SEEN IT RESURGE AGAIN, AND WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SCENARIOS OF ARMED MEN AS THEY COME INTO A CITY TAKING YOUNG GIRLS FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND HOLDING THEM AGAINST THEIR WILL WE HAVE SEEN FAMILIES FLEEING, THE FEAR OF THE VIOLENCE AND DEATH ONLY TO FIND THEMSELVES UP OR HANDED OR PUT IN HARM'S WAY.

AGAIN WHEN PEOPLE GET TO PLACES THEY THINK ARE SAFE, THEY ARE NOT EVERY THE VIOLENCE FOLLOWS THEM.

THAT IS CONSISTENT ACROSS MANY LOCATIONS IN SUDAN UP UNTIL TODAY.

ALI: WE HAVE A SOUNDBITE FROM A VICTIM YOU INTERVIEWED ON THE GROUND WE'RE CALLING HER OMNIA.

, AND SHE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT WHAT SHE WITNESSED WHILE SHE WAS ABDUCTED AND HELD AND MISTREATED BY ARMED GROUPS.

THAT INCLUDED WITNESSING ACTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

TAKE A LISTEN.

>> I ENDURED THIS SUFFERING AND TORMENT FOR 19 DAYS.

THROUGHOUT THE NINETEEN DAYS, THERE WERE DAILY RAPES.

EVERY DAY THERE WERE RAPES, EVERY DAY THERE WAS A CRIME.

DURING THOSE NINETEEN DAYS, I LIVED IN HELL.

THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT HUMAN BEINGS.

THEY SUBJECTED US TO INSULTS, HUMILIATION, FEAR, TERROR, AND STARVATION.

ALI: IS THAT SIMILAR TO OTHER STORIES THAT YOU'VE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE REGION?

TESS: I SPENT TWO WEEKS IN SUDAN SPENDING TIME WITH THESE INCREDIBLY BRAVE SURVIVORS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND, THE CULTURE IN SUDAN BLAMES THE SURVIVOR AND NOT THE PERPETRATOR, FILLED WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

SO THEY LEAVE WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SOCIAL STIGMA AND FEAR OF RETRIBUTION.

IT IS INCREDIBLY BRAVE FOR THESE SURVIVORS TO SPEAK.

YES, I INTERVIEWED DOZENS OVER TWO WEEKS HEARING THEIR STORIES , ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES, BUT THE CONSISTENT PART WAS COME IN MOST CASES, THESE ARE CHILDREN.

THEY ARE YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE TRYING TO SURVIVE AN AWFUL VIOLENT CONFLICT, ONLY TO BE RAPED AND IN MANY CASES PHYSICALLY BEATEN, THREATENED OR THEY HAD LOVED ONES KILLED IN FRONT OF THEM.

THE YOUNGEST SURVIVOR I INTERVIEWED WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.

THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ANYBODY, LET ALONE TO CHILDREN IN SUCH A VULNERABLE POSITION.

ALI: WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS ON THE WIDER SOCIETY?

YOU KNOW, THE RELATIVES, FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE VICTIMS.

IS THIS HAPPENING IN PLACES THAT PEOPLE FLEEING THE VIOLENCE ARE SEEKING SAFETY AND SHELTER?

TESS: PEOPLE IN SUDAN NOW LIVE IN FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING TO THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

WHAT IT HAS DONE IS, IS CREATES MOTIVATION TO RUN AND TO LEAVE WHEN CONFLICT DESCENDS ON PEOPLE'S CITIES.

IT CAUSES MASSIVE DISPLACEMENT ALONGSIDE THE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT THE CONFLICT BRINGS, LIKE MALNUTRITION AND LIKE BOMBARDMENTS.

BUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS ALSO CAUSING PEOPLE TO BE DISPLACED.

MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN.

FRONTLINE WORKERS TALKED ABOUT CASES WITHIN COMMUNITIES WHERE DISPLACED PEOPLE ARE LIVING.

THEY BEAEA IS DARK, THEY HAVE TO MAKE A LONG WALK TO A WATER IN POINT.

THOSE SORTS OF SITUATIONS, THEY'RE AGAIN VULNERABLE TO SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

ALI: HOW IS UNICEF HELPING THE SURVIVORS OF THESE ASSAULTS?

MATTHEW: WE ARE WORKING ACROSS SUDAN TO BRING SUPPLIES AND SERVICES SURVIVORS NEED.

BUT MORE THAN THAT, WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING.

WE'RE DOING ADVOCACY WITH THE PARTIES TO THE CONFLICT TO REMIND THEM OF THEIR OBLIGATIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW TO PROTECT CHILDREN.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON PREVENTATIVE METHODS, SUCH AS TRAINING SESSIONS AND AWARENESS SESSIONS FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS AND YOUNG GIRLS.

WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING CASH ASSISTANCE TO TRY AND HELP THOSE FAMILIES WHEN THEY FLEE GET TO PLACES THAT ARE SAFER.

IF THAT FAILS AND WE AREN'T ABLE TO PREVENT THE RAPE, THEN WE ARE PROVIDING SUPPLIES AND SERVICES LIKE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, LIKE MEDICAL KITS FOR HOSPITALS AND THE OTHER LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT THAT PEOPLE NEED.

JOHN: TESS INGRAM -- ALI: TESS INGRAM WITH AN IMPORTANT LOOK ON WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND IN SUDAN.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

MATTHEW: THANK YOU TESS:THANK YOU.

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