Verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence more than doubled globally in 2025, reaching 9,788 documented cases compared to 4,617 the previous year, according to the 17th annual report of the UN Secretary-General submitted to the Security Council on Thursday, 29 May 2025. The report, made available to the press on Friday, describes the violations as marked by “extreme brutality” and overwhelmingly targeting women and girls.

Scale of the Crisis

The UN report covers 21 conflict-affected countries and lists 77 parties — both state and non-state actors — responsible for documented cases of conflict-related sexual violence. Officials cautioned that the figures represent a significant undercount, as ongoing conflict, insecurity, and restrictions on humanitarian access continued to obstruct reporting and documentation.

Notably, the report warns that mission drawdowns and budget cuts have reduced specialised capacity on gender and women’s protection — “offten the first to be reduced” — further undermining the ability to capture the full scale of violations.

New Parties Listed, Tactics Documented

Two new state actors have been added to the annex this year: the Israeli armed and security forces and the Russian armed and security forces. Three new non-state actors operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are also newly listed.

The report documents sexual violence deployed as a tactic of war, torture, terrorism, and political repression. Civilians were targeted with rape, gang rape, abductions, and sexual slavery. Sexual violence and exploitation in the context of abduction and trafficking continued to be observed as a tactic of terrorism, with displaced, refugee, and migrant women and girls facing elevated risks.

Detention, Impunity, and Persistent Perpetrators

Sexual violence was reportedly perpetrated in detention settings across multiple conflicts, including in Israel and the State of Palestine, and in Russia and Ukraine, according to the report. Impunity remained pervasive: overall compliance by parties to conflict with applicable international norms stayed low throughout 2025.

More than 65 per cent of parties listed in the annex are classified as persistent perpetrators, having appeared in the list for five or more consecutive years without taking remedial or corrective action.

Why the Numbers May Still Be an Undercount

The UN report explicitly states that the 9,788 documented cases should not be read as the complete picture. Violations remain “largely unseen and underreported” due to active conflict zones, access restrictions, and the systematic reduction of gender-protection units within UN missions. This comes amid a broader global trend of shrinking humanitarian budgets, which critics argue disproportionately erodes accountability mechanisms for the most vulnerable populations.

What Comes Next

The report’s submission to the Security Council is expected to renew calls for accountability measures and stronger mandates for gender-protection units in UN peacekeeping operations. Human rights advocates argue that without independent monitoring and enforceable consequences for listed parties, the annex risks becoming a symbolic gesture rather than a deterrent.