Doctors Without Borders staff sexually abuse Sudanese refugees in exchange for food
The NGO admits that it has dismissed 18 workers after having received 59 complaints
BarcelonaAbout twenty workers from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) sexually abused at least fifty-nine refugee women from Sudan. In most cases, humanitarian staff forced them into non-consensual sexual relations in exchange for food or work. The non-governmental organization has admitted the accusations and explained in a statement this Monday that it has dismissed the 18 responsible individuals—who will not be able to work with the organization from now on—but acknowledges that it has not been able to identify some of the other alleged perpetrators.
The events took place in 2024 in Chad, near the border with Sudan, as part of the Andre project, dedicated to welcoming thousands of people fleeing the brutal war between the Rapid Support Forces and the country's army fleeing the brutal war that pits the Rapid Support Forces against the country's army. Several aid workers, both local and international, allegedly committed crimes ranging from sexual harassment to the exploitation and abuse of several refugees, including minors. The organization details cases where they were exploited in exchange for food, water, and milk, and others where they were forced to have relations in exchange for employment or money.
MSF opened an investigation in November 2024 and deployed several teams to projects in eastern Chad, after receiving several complaints. The report with the conclusions was issued internally in July 2025, but it was not until this past weekend that the American agency AP—which first reported on the case—revealed its content. The organization concludes that the abuses were widespread and points to a pattern of organized "sex trafficking."
"This misconduct represents a serious violation of MSF's values and responsibilities, and we deeply regret the harm caused," assures the NGO. "We continue to work to strengthen our prevention, detection, and response systems. We encourage staff, patients, and community members to report any misconduct to us, and we are committed to ensuring that our reporting channels are safe."
An invisible scourge
The war in Sudan has caused the world's largest humanitarian crisis: an estimated more than 11 million people are displaced and 28 million suffer from acute hunger. In this context, sexual violence has been used massively by both sides of the conflict, mostly by combatants, but it goes unnoticed. In a report published by MSF itself this March, they claimed to have received reports of more than 3,000 cases of sexual violence in the Darfur region. A figure that is only "a fraction of the true magnitude of the problem", in the words of the organization.
