The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that the number of boys and girls in need of assistance has surged to 15 million, a significant increase from 7.8 million at the beginning of 2023, coinciding with the outbreak of hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which were previously allied. UNICEF has highlighted that escalating violence from the conflicting parties against children, alongside rising hunger and disease, is exacerbating the situation, with ongoing displacement further complicating lives. This is occurring at a time when both humanitarian access and financial support are dwindling, just as the rainy season is set to commence in May.
“Given that the rainy season is imminent, accessing children already suffering from malnutrition and illness will become increasingly challenging,” stated UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. She called on the global community to “take advantage of this crucial opportunity for action and enhance their support for the children of Sudan.”
Currently, Sudan is facing the most significant humanitarian and child displacement crisis in the world, with over 30 million individuals requiring humanitarian aid this year.
The conflict has displaced 12.4 million people, forcing them to seek refuge either within Sudan or across its borders. Among the displaced, more than half are children, with nearly a third being under five years old. UNICEF pointed out that in regions where individuals can return, the presence of unexploded ordnance and limited access to necessary services heightens the risks for children. In addition, famine is escalating, vaccination coverage is declining, and approximately 90 percent of children are currently out of school.
The crisis is intensified by a dire mix of interconnected factors, including a ten-fold increase in serious violations against children, such as killings, maimings, abductions, recruitment for armed conflict, sexual violence, assaults on educational and health facilities, and the obstruction of humanitarian assistance. While such grave violations were previously limited to areas like Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan, reports of these incidents have now been confirmed in over half of Sudan’s 18 states. The most frequently reported violations consist of killings and maimings, abductions, and attacks on schools and hospitals, with the highest instances recorded in the Darfur region, Khartoum, Aljazeera, and South Kordofan.
Moreover, famine has been verified in ten locations, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), with additional areas at risk. As the rainy season approaches, UNICEF has cautioned that certain regions are also susceptible to flooding. The agency noted that between 2022 and 2024, approximately 60 percent of annual cases of severe acute malnutrition typically occur during the rainy season, which could mean up to 462,000 children may be impacted this year if current trends persist.
Disease outbreaks are also anticipated to rise. Last year, there were 49,000 reported cases of cholera and over 11,000 cases of dengue fever, predominantly affecting mothers and children. The rainy season exacerbates these outbreaks due to issues like water contamination, inadequate sanitation, and increased displacement.
At the same time, humanitarian access for children in Sudan is worsening due to the escalating conflict and various restrictions or bureaucratic hurdles imposed by governmental authorities or armed groups. Funding for essential life-saving services is critically low, jeopardizing vital health, nutrition, education, and protection programs. UNICEF is seeking $1 billion for its operations in Sudan in 2025, which amounts to just $76 per person for the year, or 26 cents daily. Currently, only $266.6 million is available, much of which was carried over from 2024, with just $12 million received this year.
In the previous year, UNICEF and its partners provided psychosocial support, education, and protection services to 2.7 million children and caregivers. They also delivered safe drinking water to nearly 10 million children and families and screened 6.7 million children for malnutrition, offering life-saving treatment to 422,000 of them. “Sudan is currently the largest humanitarian crisis globally, yet it is not receiving the necessary attention,” remarked Ms. Russell. “We cannot neglect the children of Sudan. We possess the knowledge and determination to enhance our support, but we require access and ongoing funding. Above all, the children of Sudan need this devastating conflict to conclude.”
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