Geneva Palais briefing note: Children in Sudan: a generation at risk

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 14 March 2024 – “This morning, I would like to bring your attention to Sudan’s children—trapped in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. I returned last week from a country where conflict, displacement, and hunger are destroying young lives.

“More than 16 million children in Sudan urgently need aid. Nearly 17 million children have been out of school for two years. Girls face grave risks, including sexual violence, trafficking, and forced marriage. Over 12 million people are at risk of gender-based violence.

“Children are being killed, maimed, and displaced, with grave violations reported daily. Many face recruitment and use by armed actors, child labour, and early marriage. The psychological toll is devastating—conflict, loss, and displacement have left children struggling with anxiety, depression, and trauma. Urgent action is needed to protect Sudan’s children.

“Reaching these children is becoming increasingly difficult. During my recent visit, I travelled to Kassala, Gedaref and Wad Medani, where I witnessed girls and boys being screened for malnutrition, mothers seeking urgent treatment for their children, and families desperate for clean water and sanitation. The need is staggering, yet aid is not available at the scale and speed required.

“At the same time, I saw something remarkable— displaced and host communities coming together to contribute their skills and capacities to deliver humanitarian services; children eager to learn and play in temporary learning centres. For many children, this is their first-ever chance to go to school, as they come from areas with no prior education services. These centres are not just about learning; they offer a sense of normalcy, hope, and protection.

“I also saw buses, packed with the few possessions families could carry, heading back to areas where fighting has subsided—Seenja, Sennar, and Wad Madani. Parents are cautiously starting the journey home, hoping conditions remain stable so they can rebuild their lives. But I also met families who have no home to return to. Their villages are gone, their communities shattered. They remain stuck in limbo, with little hope for the future.

“Delivery of humanitarian assistance continues to be inhibited by bureaucratic and administrative impediments in obtaining the necessary permits for the delivery of supplies in areas affected by armed conflict. Ongoing armed conflict, ethnic-driven violence, and direct attacks on humanitarian workers and mutual aid groups are worsening an already dire situation. Looting and violence have forced operational suspensions in multiple areas.

“Last year, Sudan’s food crisis spiraled into famine, something we long warned about, and now we warn the situation is worsening. Since April 2023, the number of people facing acute food insecurity has tripled. Famine conditions are occurring in at least five locations, including displacement camps in North Darfur and the Western Nuba Mountains

“Nationally, 3.2 million children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, including 770,000 facing severe acute malnutrition—the deadliest form of hunger, making children 11 times more likely to die from disease.

“But this crisis is not only about food. Without safe water, sanitation, and healthcare, children will not survive. In famine-affected areas, basic services have collapsed.

“Despite immense challenges, UNICEF remains on the ground. In 2024, we were able to:

• Provide psychosocial support, education, and protection services to 2.7 million children and caregivers.
• Deliver safe drinking water to 9.8 million people.
• Screen 6.7 million children for malnutrition and provided life-saving treatment to 422,000 of them.

“In 2025, we will continue delivering urgent assistance while also working to restore essential services and build resilience in the hardest-hit areas.

“Sudan risks losing an entire generation. We call on all actors to act now:

• Guarantee humanitarian access across conflict lines and borders.
• Protect humanitarian workers and supplies.
• Increase funding to match escalating needs.
• End the violence.

“The children of Sudan cannot wait. The world must act—now.”

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Notes for editors:

Multimedia materials available here: https://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AM4080FDL1J

For more information, please contact: UNICEF UK Media Team, 0207 375 6030, [email protected]

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