MSF Staff Accused of Sexually Abusing Sudanese Refugees

Mon Jun 15 2026 19:33:19 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Doctors Without Borders staff in Chad are alleged to have sexually abused 59 Sudanese refugees, igniting new scrutiny amid the ongoing Sudan conflict.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff in eastern Chad are accused of sexually abusing at least 59 Sudanese refugees fleeing the civil war. The victims, many young girls, were offered food or jobs in exchange for sex, and 16 staff members have been dismissed. MSF says it failed to identify all perpetrators, and many victims did not report abuse due to fears of losing aid. The incident underscores a broader pattern of human‑right violations by humanitarian workers worldwide. The ongoing Sudan conflict has caused more than 11 million displaced and 28 million people to face acute hunger.

MSF Staff Accused of Sexually Abusing Sudanese Refugees

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has admitted that its workers in eastern Chad sexually abused at least 59 Sudanese refugees who fled the civil war.

The abuse happened a year into Sudan’s still‑raging conflict, when refugees were already facing hunger and fear.

Victims, many young girls, were promised food or jobs in exchange for sex. Sixteen of the alleged staff were fired, but other perpetrators could not be identified.

MSF described the conduct as a “serious breach of our values” and said some victims did not report abuses because they feared losing vital aid.

The story is part of a wider pattern, with humanitarian workers worldwide sometimes accused of exploitation. Sudan’s brutal civil war has driven more than 11 million people from their homes.

Mass sexual violence is recognized as a weapon of war in Sudan, affecting men, women and even babies.

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