The ongoing conflict in Sudan has culminated in what is being described as the most severe humanitarian crisis globally, with over 30 million people, predominantly children, in dire need of aid this year. Catherine Russell, the leader of the United Nations children’s agency, highlighted this grim scenario during a briefing to the U.N. Security Council on Thursday. The protracted conflict, now approaching its second anniversary, is leaving children exposed to unimaginable hardships and extreme violence.
Russell reported that approximately 1.3 million children reside in areas afflicted by famine, and an estimated 770,000 children could experience “severe acute malnutrition” within the year, potentially facing mortality without urgent aid. The Sudan crisis erupted in April 2023 as latent tensions between the military and paramilitary leadership devolved into open conflict, initially in Khartoum and subsequently expanding into other regions, including the extensive Darfur area.
The brutal conflict has claimed at least 20,000 lives, although the actual toll is presumed to be significantly higher, with over 14 million people having been displaced from their homes. Reporting on the impact of violence on children, the UNICEF executive director noted that 80% of the over 900 grave incidents against children in the latter half of 2024 involved killings or maiming, predominantly occurring in Darfur, Khartoum, and Gezira areas. She lamented that these figures represent merely a portion of the grim reality.
Sexual violence has been rife, terrorizing the Sudanese populace, with about 12.1 million women and girls—and increasingly men and boys—at significant risk. This represents an 80% escalation from the previous year. Data analysis by UNICEF, based on reports from service providers in Sudan, revealed 221 reported cases of child rape in 2024 across nine provinces. UNICEF’s estimates show that 67% of rape victims were girls, while 33% were boys, with some victims being as young as infants under one year of age. Russell emphasized that the figures only provide a snapshot of a broader, concealed crisis, noting the reluctance or incapability of survivors or their families to report regularly.
Christopher Lockyear, the Secretary-General of Doctors Without Borders, known as MSF, shared his insights with the council from his recent stay in Khartoum province. He criticized both parties in the conflict for aggravating civilian suffering with indiscriminate bombing and violence. Government forces have been relentlessly bombing civilian areas, and paramilitary factions and allied militias have perpetrated sexual violence, abductions, mass killings, and looting of aid, alongside commandeering medical facilities.
“Both sides have besieged towns, obliterated essential civilian infrastructure, and obstructed humanitarian aid,” he pointed out. Lockyear urged the necessity for the Security Council to take tangible actions following its resolutions, advocating for a new pact to protect civilians, grant aid agencies unobstructed access for relief efforts, and ensure independence from political meddling. A robust mechanism for accountability is crucial to this process.
In his address to the media following the briefing, Lockyear mentioned that he perceived some encouraging feedback from various members of the 15-nation council, expressing his hope for positive developments. Meanwhile, U.S. deputy ambassador Dorothy Shea disclosed that despite previous foreign aid cutbacks by the Trump administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had sanctioned an emergency aid waiver for food, medicine, shelter, and additional assistance, including for Sudan, but no specifics were provided regarding the amounts.
Russell conveyed that UNICEF anticipates requiring nearly $1 billion this year to facilitate critical support for 8.7 million vulnerable Sudanese children. However, Lockyear warned that the U.S. aid reductions are likely to exacerbate Sudan’s already dire humanitarian situation.
