Sudan: Protection of Civilians

Patricia Ferguson Excerpts

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Doughty]

The hon. Member rightly raises the many atrocities that have taken place in Sudan on the basis of people’s religion, ethnic grouping and other minority status. I share his absolute revulsion at some of the recent allegations. He can be assured that, whether it is through our work at the United Nations later today, our work in the programming that we provide or our support for holding the perpetrators to account, this issue will remain at the top of our agenda.

[Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow West) (Lab)]

I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East (Anneliese Dodds) on securing this urgent question. The attack over the past few days is truly appalling, as colleagues have said, but it is not the first time such an attack has taken place. The World Health Organisation has verified 285 attacks on healthcare facilities, with at least 1,200 deaths and more than 400 injuries to health workers and patients. Can the Minister explain what more can be done to make sure that the RSF understands that hospitals and healthcare facilities should not be targeted in the way that it is doing and that the sanctity of life has to be considered when civilian populations are concerned?

[Stephen Doughty]

I have always been clear that aid workers must never be targets. The shocking deaths of aid volunteers and others in recent days have horrified the whole world. My hon. Friend can be assured that in our contact directly with the RSF and all the parties to the conflict, we regularly raise the protection of humanitarian workers and, most importantly, the need for an end to this horrific conflict.