As Sudan’s brutal conflict enters its third year, the number of children in urgent need of humanitarian aid has doubled to over 15 million.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) issued a stark warning Tuesday, stating that “without urgent action, Sudan’s dire humanitarian crisis could tip into greater catastrophe.”
Rising violence, hunger, and disease have devastated communities, while displacement continues to soar and access to aid shrinks amid dwindling global support.
With the rainy season approaching, fears are mounting over increased malnutrition and flooding that could cut off vulnerable populations from life-saving assistance.
“Two years of violence and displacement have shattered the lives of millions of children across Sudan,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
She urged the international community to act swiftly, stressing that unmet needs are rapidly outpacing available humanitarian funding.
UNICEF identified Sudan as home to the world’s largest child displacement emergency, with children making up half of the 30 million in need of help.
More than half of the 15 million displaced by conflict are children—almost one in three under five years old, the agency reported.
Around 90% of children are out of school, as famine spreads, vaccination rates plummet, and returning home remains dangerous due to unexploded ordnance.
Grave violations against children, once isolated to certain regions, are now verified in more than half of Sudan’s 18 states.
Killings, abductions, and attacks on schools and hospitals are most prevalent in Darfur, Khartoum, Aljazeera, and South Kordofan.
Aid delivery is also deteriorating, with over 60% of UNICEF shipments delayed in 2024 due to conflict and access restrictions.
UNICEF is appealing for $1 billion in funding for 2025 to continue vital services, including nutrition, education, and psychosocial support.
“We cannot abandon the children of Sudan,” Russell said. “They need peace, protection, and the world’s attention—now more than ever.”
