Displacement
Women and Girls Suffer Disproportionate Harm in Sudan, Syria and Gaza
A suspected drone strike in Sudan’s Blue Nile State killed at least 40 people, most of them women and girls. In southern Syria, 280 Israeli incursions were recorded in September, accompanied by raids and detentions. Gaza continues to see nearly 50,000 women and girls killed or severely injured since October 2023, with many now heading households amid displacement.
Drone strike deepens crisis in Sudan’s Blue Nile
UN officials reported that a suspected drone attack near the Ethiopian border in Sudan’s Blue Nile State resulted in at least 40 fatalities, the majority being women and girls. The strike occurred as fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and government troops intensified over strategic border towns. The UN spokesperson condemned the incident as a violation of international humanitarian law and highlighted that thousands of residents have already fled the area, complicating humanitarian access and aid delivery.
Escalating Israeli operations strain civilians in southern Syria
The UN human‑rights office recorded 280 Israeli military operations in southern Syria during September, the highest monthly total recorded this year. These actions have included house raids, movement restrictions, harassment and arbitrary arrests. While the office estimates that 49 Syrians remain in Israeli detention, the figure has not been independently verified. UN officials have called for an impartial investigation into recent lethal incidents and urged an end to practices that increase the vulnerability of already displaced populations.
Gaza’s women face massive casualties and household burdens
UN Women estimates that nearly 50,000 women and girls have been killed or seriously injured in Gaza since the conflict began in October 2023, including more than 38,000 deaths and about 11,700 individuals living with permanent disabilities. Almost all women and girls have been displaced from their homes, now residing in tents or the ruins of destroyed houses. Women now head roughly one‑quarter of Gaza’s households, confronting heightened poverty, repeated displacement and scarce resources. Funding cuts have forced many local organisations to place women and girls on waiting lists, while reports of gender‑based violence and mental‑health distress continue to rise.