33 Countries of Origin’ Profiles

SUDAN 1 Produced by the University of Malta FAST FACTS • Sudan is a country located in north- eastern Africa , which has experienced decades of conflict since its independence from British and Egyptian control in 1956, mainly due to the marginalisation of the peripheries by the Khartoum government. Disagreements over national identity fuel conflict in the country • Sudan is populated by a variety of ethnic groups speaking different languages and dialects. The most spoken language is Sudanese Arabic (a local variant of Arabic) and the most widely practiced religion is Islam, although many locals also hold traditional animist beliefs. Belief in the Evil Eye is common • Sharia law was introduced in the judicial system in 1983, but is applied in a geographically inconsistent manner across Sudan • Among the different ethnic groups, the Zaghawa concentrate in the war-ridden Darfur region and constitute the bulk of people living in refugee camps • Forced early marriage is extremely common • GBV in the form of sexual violence, rape, attempted rape, abduction for sexual exploitation, injuries or killings following rape, has characterised the conflict in Darfur • Darfuri women are subjected to humiliation as a result of their perceived racial differences • The Sudanese Criminal Code punishes adultery with death by stoning or with 100 lashes for unmarried men and women. In the past, rape was often confused with adultery in courts, due to discriminatory legal provisions disproportionately affecting women. Despite recent amendments distinguishing rape from adultery, women are still afraid of speaking up and reporting rape to the authorities • In 2014 86.6% of women aged 15- 49 reported having undergone some form of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)