The Duchess of Edinburgh traveled to Chad to meet refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan, emphasizing the prevalence of sexual violence used as a weapon during wartime.
Not only is she one of the hardest-working royals, with more than 200 engagements a year, but the Duchess of Edinburgh has also made history by visiting some of the most dangerous places on Earth. On International Women’s Day in March 2019, Sophie boldly announced she would be taking a stand on sex crimes in war-torn regions, initially teaming up with actress Angelina Jolie through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.
To date, her mission has taken her to many troubled countries that no other royal has ever visited. Most recently, in October, Sophie travelled to Chad to meet refugees who had fled the devastating civil war in Sudan, which has killed at least 61,000 people in the past year. During the three-day visit, she heard the heartbreaking stories of women survivors, which she admitted left her feeling “quite wobbly”. Visibly moved as she spoke to reporters, Sophie said, “People are having to exchange food and water for sex, for rape. That is violence that is being enacted through conflict. It is being used as a bargaining tool. These women have no option but to leave. And, even then, they’re lucky if some of them can get away, because some of the villages and towns that they come from, they can’t even leave their houses anymore. If they leave their houses, they get killed.” She added, “What they do to the children is… I can’t even use the words.” Sophie previously became the first royal to visit Sudan in March 2020, when a ceasefire was thankfully agreed just weeks before her arrival. On that occasion, she said she had gone to “some very dark places” and heard stories that left “tears dripping off your chin”. In the city of Juba, she appealed for women to be allowed to help build a more peaceful future, urging the male population, “Listen to your women folk and support them to take their place at your side.
ROYAL FAMILY DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH SUDAN REFUGEES SEXUAL VIOLENCE
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