Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- UNICEF distributed 2.8 million vaccine doses as part of the Big Catch-Up (BCU) campaign, reaching 91,500 children across seven states with diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccines.
- Essential learning materials were provided to 230 schools in Gedaref and Kassala, benefiting over 15,000 students. Additionally, 68 Safe Learning Spaces, including 34 e- learning centres, were established, reaching nearly 19,800 children with structured learning and psychosocial support.
- UNICEF and partners improved access to safe water for 1.2 million people, including 73,000 through durable water facilities.
- 289,865 children under five were screened for malnutrition, with 17,025 diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and treated. To support these efforts, UNICEF distributed over 60,000 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), 70 cartons of F-75, 9 cartons of F-100, and more than 500,000 reporting tools and equipment.
FUNDING OVERVIEW AND PARTNERSHIPS
In 2025, UNICEF is appealing for US$ one billion to deliver a comprehensive package of life-saving child protection, education, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and humanitarian cash interventions to reach 13.6 million people, including 8.7 million children. These efforts aim to save children’s lives, alleviate their suffering, and build their resilience and dignity amid Sudan’s ongoing and escalating humanitarian crisis.
As of 28 February 2025, UNICEF has US$ 267 million available for its crisis response. This includes US$ 203 million carried over from 2024, US$ 51.5 million in other resources being leveraged to sustain community resilience and essential service delivery systems across Sudan, and US$12 million newly received in 2025.
UNICEF expresses its gratitude to its donors for their generous, continuous, and unwavering support towards UNICEF's humanitarian response. These contributions enable UNICEF to provide life-saving assistance to vulnerable children and their families, maintain essential services and systems, build resilience, and support recovery efforts in areas of return and within host communities. This includes contributions from the European Union, the governments of Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Italy, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, as well as multilateral partners such as the World Bank, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund, the Global Partnership for Education, Education Cannot Wait, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), Education Above All, and UNICEF National Committees.
As 2025 begins, there is a renewed opportunity to mobilize resources and advocate for Sudan’s children. While some critical support has already been secured, 74 per cent of UNICEF’s humanitarian funding requirements remain unmet, posing a significant challenge for millions of children who need essential services to ensure their survival and dignity. With collective, strengthened commitment, the outlook for millions of vulnerable children can change.
Now is the time for accelerated investments to sustain and expand life-saving interventions in nutrition, child protection, health, WASH, education and cash, while also reinforcing Sudan’s fragile social service systems and infrastructure. Flexible funding remains essential to enable UNICEF to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging crises and deliver uninterrupted support where it is needed the most.
Beyond funding, coordinated advocacy is critical to calling for an immediate end to grave violations of children’s rights, progress towards peace, and safe, sustained humanitarian access across Sudan. Through continued efforts and collaboration, 2025 can mark a turning point in securing a better future for Sudan’s children.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
On 17 February, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, jointly launched the 2025 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) and the Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP). As outlined in the 2025 joint HNRP and RRP summary document, the appeals seek a total of US$ 6 billion to assist nearly 26 million people inside the country and in the region, including US$ 4.2 billion for the UN-coordinated plan inside Sudan and US$ 1.8 billion for the Regional Refugee Response Plan in the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda.
By mid-February, Sudan’s Ministry of Health reported a surge in cholera cases, especially in Kosti locality in White Nile State. The outbreak is believed to be attributed to the damage to the Water Treatment Plant in the White Nile River due to a drone attack. Local health authorities are working towards reinforcing the chlorination in the water distribution system. To respond to the outbreak, a six-day cholera vaccination campaign was launched in Kosti and Rabak localities, targeting one million people with oral cholera vaccines.
By late February, 6,200 cases and 125 deaths had been reported nationwide. Kosti locality in White Nile accounted for nearly half of these, with 2,740 cases and 60 deaths. In week nine of the outbreak, the number of cases dropped sharply by 91 per cent, falling from 1,331 cases in week eight to just 127 cases.
During the reporting period, dengue cases also surged, reaching a peak of 304 reported cases, before dropping significantly to just 12 cases by the end of the month. Between week five and week nine, a total of 805 cases were recorded.
Fighting persisted across multiple states, including Khartoum, Al Jazirah, Kordofan, White Nile, Darfur, and Sennar, with related conflict and displacements further straining humanitarian efforts. In North Darfur, heavy artillery attacks on Zamzam IDP camp killed dozens and forced thousands to flee. In East and South Darfur, most humanitarian activities were suspended except for life-saving health and water services. Inter-tribal clashes in East Darfur displaced over 400 households, while growing reports of targeted abductions in Adila, Abu Karinka, and Nyala towns in South Darfur raised serious protection concerns.
Clashes in North Darfur led to the displacement of an estimated 11,544 households between 11-15 February. In White Nile, 6,514 households were reportedly displaced from various villages in Al Gitaina locality, White Nile state, between 12 and 13 February due to heightened insecurity.