An estimated 2.7 million women of reproductive age have been displaced across Sudan, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Among them are over 272,000 pregnant women, with around 91,000 expected to give birth within the next three months.
The conflict, which has raged for nearly 20 months, has plunged Sudan into a deep humanitarian crisis. More than 12 million people have been uprooted, including over eight million displaced within the country and three million who have sought refuge in neighboring nations.
The war has compounded Sudan’s pre-existing humanitarian challenges, creating an unprecedented catastrophe. Women and children bear the brunt, facing severe hunger, disease, and violence. According to UNFPA, the health crisis is particularly alarming, as up to 80% of healthcare facilities in conflict-affected areas are closed or barely operational.
Every day, 20,000 people are newly displaced, many of whom are pregnant women unable to access vital healthcare services such as antenatal care, safe delivery, or postpartum care. The lack of resources has led to an increase in maternal deaths caused by pregnancy and childbirth-related complications.
“After I give birth, I worry about the cold weather and not having a proper place to put my baby. We don’t have a home; we sleep outside on the floor,” says Sabreen Abdulrahman, a mother of three who is nine months pregnant.
The UN warns that nearly 1.5 million people across Sudan are either experiencing famine or are at risk of it, including 35,800 pregnant women. The situation underscores the urgent need for humanitarian aid and a resolution to the conflict to prevent further loss of life and suffering.
