Statement of Solidarity | September 21, 2026
On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, observed annually on September 21, the “Sudan Rights Watch Network” affirms that peace is not merely the temporary absence of hostilities. Rather, it is a fundamental right of peoples and a path grounded in the protection of human beings and their dignity, respect for international human rights law and international humanitarian law, the assurance of justice and accountability, and the addressing of the root causes of conflict.
This year, the day arrives amidst the ongoing war that erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, and the severe humanitarian and human rights consequences it has inflicted and continues to inflict upon civilians across the country. The war has resulted in a high number of casualties, widespread displacement and flight as refugees, the destruction of infrastructure and essential services, the disruption of education and healthcare, and exacerbated food insecurity, alongside persistent reports of grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
As the “Sudan Rights Watch Network” reflects on the suffering of the Sudanese people amidst this ongoing catastrophe, it emphasizes that civilians must remain the top priority. Protecting the population from killing, violence, displacement, and violations—and ensuring unhindered access to humanitarian aid is a legal and moral responsibility incumbent upon all parties to the conflict as well as the international community.
The Network reiterates its call for:
- An immediate cessation of violations against civilians, refraining from targeting them or using civilian areas and facilities for military operations, and strict adherence to the rules of international humanitarian law.
- Cessation of hostilities and the achievement of a sustainable ceasefire, as a necessary step to create conditions for an inclusive and credible Sudanese political process.
- Ensuring safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access to all those in need, and refraining from using food, medicine, or humanitarian aid as a tool in the conflict.
- Protecting women, children, and the most vulnerable groups from all forms of violence and abuse including sexual and gender-based violence and ensuring the provision of protection and care for survivors.
- Documenting and investigating violations and holding those responsible accountable in accordance with standards of justice and fair trial thereby ensuring victims’ rights to truth, redress, reparation, and an end to impunity.
- Engaging victims, displaced persons, refugees, local communities, women, youth, and civil society organizations in peacebuilding efforts and the shaping of Sudan’s future, ensuring the peace process is not reduced merely to military or political arrangements between the parties to the conflict.
- Supporting an inclusive Sudanese peace process that addresses the political, social, economic, and historical root causes of conflicts, and lays the foundations for a state based on the rule of law, equal citizenship, and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms.
On this occasion, the Network affirms that sustainable peace cannot be built upon impunity, the disregard of victims’ voices, or the continued suffering of civilians. Achieving peace means more than just silencing the guns; it requires creating an environment that guarantees security, justice, dignity, and rights for all Sudanese people without discrimination.
The people of Sudan deserve a peace that prioritizes human life and dignity over military and political calculations a peace that establishes a state protecting its citizens, upholding their rights and freedoms, and granting victims their right to justice, truth, and redress.
The “Sudan Rights Watch Network” reiterates its solidarity with all civilians affected by the war, with displaced persons and refugees, with the families of victims and the missing, and with survivors of violations. It calls upon all parties and national and international actors to make the protection of human beings, peace, and justice an urgent, non-deferrable priority.
Peace for Sudan; dignity, justice, and safety for all Sudanese people.
Sudan Rights Watch Network
September 21, 2026