Attachments
Highlights
- Displacement, disease outbreaks, hunger and restricted humanitarian access are creating a lethal combination for a conflict-induced famine and a catastrophic loss of children’s lives. This has already led to famine in Zamzam camp in North Darfur, and could potentially cause similar conditions in other areas.
- The situation is especially dire for children and families trapped in areas directly affected by conflict, insecurity and protection risks.
- In 2024, despite these challenges, UNICEF has delivered over 12,400 metric tons of critical supplies across Sudan. UNICEF and partners reached 6.6 million children and families with safe drinking water, 3.3 million people with critical health supplies, over 3 million children with malnutrition screening (over 151,400 with lifesaving treatment), more than 2.2 million children and caregivers with psychosocial counselling, learning, and protection support, and 72,800 children, mothers and families with cash information and other critical services.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
Sudan has the world's largest internally displaced population, with 10.7 million people displaced across Sudan. Since the conflict between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023, 7.9 million people have been displaced, in addition to 2.3 million who crossed the borders - 814,000 fled to Chad, followed by 781,000 to South Sudan and 515,000 to Egypt. More than half of them are children. Prior to this conflict, displaced people were concentrated in Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile states, now displaced populations have spread across all 18 states, with each state hosting between 250,000 to 1.8 million IDPs, except Khartoum which saw massive exodus (36 per cent of all IDPs or 3.7 million people) and remains a key battle ground.
An estimated 24.8 million people require various types of humanitarian assistance in Sudan. The country is affected by heavy rains, flooding, acute food insecurity, and famine risk, in addition to ongoing conflict in large parts of the country, massive displacements, and protection concerns, as well as the collapse of systems for service delivery, including health, nutrition, WASH, education, and child protection.
In July 2024, the conflict in Sudan, particularly in Sennar, North Darfur, Khartoum, and the Kordofan regions, has been marked by intense clashes between SAF and the paramilitary RSF, contributing to a severe humanitarian crisis. North Darfur, particularly the capital El Fasher, remains a hotspot of violence. In Khartoum, the conflict has led to contested control over critical areas, including the city center and strategic infrastructure. The airstrikes and artillery exchanges have resulted in power outages, water shortages, and severe disruptions to daily life.
The humanitarian situation is dire, with hospitals operating at reduced capacity and widespread displacement. In Sennar and West Kordofan, the RSF has made significant advances, enhancing their strategic positions aiming to secure supply pipelines. In Sennar, the RSF has captured most major cities except Sennar city itself, cutting off states in the southern parts of the country from SAF supply routes. The conflict has led to substantial displacement, with thousands fleeing to safer areas in Gedarif and Blue Nile states, and also cut off safe access for humanitarian agencies to these areas except from cross-border.
Sudan is undergoing its worst levels of acute food insecurity ever recorded, with the most severe conditions found in areas heavily affected by fighting and where conflict-displaced people have congregated. Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Acute Food Insecurity (IPC-AFI) report released at the end of June confirmed a severe and worsening food insecurity crisis in the country. Over half of Sudan's population, approximately 25.6 million people, are experiencing crisis or worse conditions (IPC Phase 3 or above) between June and September 2024, coinciding with the lean season. This includes 755,000 people in catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) across ten states, including all five states of Darfur, South and North Kordofan, Blue Nile, Gezira, and Khartoum. A total of 14 areas in Darfur, Kordofans, Khartoum and Gezira – all key conflict areas – are facing heightened risk of famine. UNICEF and partners are scaling up response in line with the Famine Prevention Plan.
The ICPAC Disaster Operations Centre forecasted very heavy rainfall in southern Sudan. Heavy rains and flash floods have started, already impacting around 10,000 IDPs, host communities and refugees in Kassala state, especially. people Flooding is leading to a lack of access to food, clean water and sanitation is raising concerns about water-borne diseases. For example, six suspected cholera cases have been reported from Kassala. UNICEF and partners are responding in Kassala through health, WASH and social and behavioral change interventions, and have initiated preventive measures in high-risk states, including Gedaref and Red Sea.
Despite the increasing needs, humanitarian actors struggle in operating and delivering assistance to vulnerable communities in Kordofan, Darfur, and Khartoum due to bureaucratic hurdles, active armed conflict, and lack of commitment from parties to the conflict to ensure safety for operations.
In addition, the conflict is worsening an already dire trajectory for adolescent girls. School closures not only cut girls off from realizing a core right to education that confers protective effects against child marriage but also interrupted the delivery of school-based health and nutrition interventions. Child marriage was already widely prevalent in some of the most contested regions, with the most recent figures suggesting that 52 per cent of girls were married before 18. Additionally, more than a quarter of these girls (28 per cent) become pregnant before reaching adulthood.