In brief
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has acknowledged that its staff members sexually abused at least 59 Sudanese refugees who fled the civil war, exchanging food and employment for sex. Victims, primarily young girls, were said to be exploited in eastern Chad in 2024, a year into the ongoing conflict. MSF has fired 18 staff, yet failed to identify all perpetrators, with reports indicating patterns that could amount to sexual trafficking. The organization has pledged regret and vowed to address systemic breaches of its values.
MSF staff abused Sudanese refugees in sex-for-food scandal
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has confirmed that staff members sexually abused at least 59 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad, offering food, jobs, or other assistance in exchange for sex. Many victims were young girls, and the abuse was reported to have occurred in 2024, about a year into Sudan's ongoing civil war.
According to MSF, 18 staff have been dismissed, though the organization admits other alleged perpetrators remain unidentified: see AP report. An internal investigation in July also pointed to patterns that could constitute "sexual trafficking."
Victims frequently stayed silent—fearing that reporting abuse would cause aid refusals—and even when they did report, many received no response from MSF, revealing ineffective complaint procedures. In a statement, MSF condemned the misconduct and pledged to rectify the harm caused.
The broader context is Sudan’s civil war, which erupted three years ago after a conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Over 11 million people have been displaced, 28 million face acute hunger, and civil violence has forced an estimated 150 000 to 400 000 deaths.
The conflict has seen widespread sexual violence, with children and infants targeted. Similar abuse scandals have emerged among humanitarian workers worldwide in recent years.
More on Sudan’s civil war: A simple guide to what is happening in Sudan, The devastating conflict where both sides have reasons to keep fighting, 'Our job is only killing' - how Sudan's brutal militia carried out a massacre.
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