Sudanese women who fled the war to Egypt are facing increasing sexual exploitation as they struggle to pay for food, medical care and rent. Aid workers, refugees and medical professionals describe single mothers and other women being pushed toward sex work, coercion and abuse after losing family support and finding few lawful ways to earn money.
Why women are becoming vulnerable
Many women who had not worked before the war arrived without established trades or professions. Husbands and other relatives may be dead, missing or working far from home, while conservative social expectations in Sudan had often placed financial responsibility on men. Women therefore face pressure to provide for children without the networks or income they previously relied on.
The barriers extend to women with professional qualifications. Refugees without legal status or documents proving university degrees struggle to find work, while informal factory jobs can pay about 150 Egyptian pounds for a 10-hour day. Domestic workers often report going unpaid and facing sexual assault. Some women are also lured into sex work with promises of help securing residency paperwork, or with offers of food and cash.
Key points
- An estimated 1.5 million Sudanese people crossed into Egypt after the war began.
- More than 4.5 million people have fled Sudan to neighbouring countries.
- A funding shortfall at UNHCR and the dismantling of USAID support have reduced available assistance.
- Women without legal status or proof of professional qualifications struggle to access formal employment.
Abuse continues in homes and workplaces
Women interviewed described exploitation by employers, strangers and people in their communities. One 21-year-old factory worker said her boss demanded sex and threatened to withhold her pay and dismiss her. Another woman said her teenage daughter was attacked in the stairwell of their apartment building in an attempted sexual assault.
Aid workers say the problem is under-reported because women fear shame, social exclusion and, in some cases, violence from their families. Some women who are exploited see returning to Sudan as their only escape, despite having fled bombings, killings, rape and other violence there. For additional context, see “Fighting and floods deepen Sudan’s Kordofan displacement crisis”.
Medical risks add to the crisis
A Cairo doctor said he treats at least 10 women each week who report sexual exploitation or sex work. Many are pregnant and seeking abortions. In Egypt, children born outside marriage are not legally recognised and abortion is illegal, according to the account.
The doctor said women who can afford EGP3,000 to EGP4,000 buy misoprostol through the parallel market. Those without money may attempt dangerous home abortions. He said two pregnant women died last month after inserting pieces of wood in attempts to cause miscarriages. The names of the women and other people quoted have been changed to protect their identities.
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