Our emergency response

Rapid emergency response, long-term support

When war breaks out or disaster strikes, children can lose their schools, their homes and their families. They may also see their access to water, food and shelter put at risk. All of this can leave them more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation as they fight to survive. Therefore, it is essential we respond quickly.

We work as hard as possible to ensure they have the best chance to survive and thrive. We have a presence in 190 countries and operate the world’s largest humanitarian warehouse network. This means when an emergency happens, we can kick-start a response straight away. Acting fast gives us the best possible chance at reaching children and families with supplies and protection.

But a crisis is only a moment in a child’s life—it doesn’t have to define it. As part of any emergency, a priority is to ensure that communities can recover as quickly as possible. We set up temporary classrooms to make up for lost teaching time and work alongside families and governments. We want children to thrive whatever their circumstances.

Our Emergency Response in Sudan

The war in Sudan has been catastrophic for children. The violence has forces 4.6 million children from their homes and 13.6 million—more than half the children in the entire country—are currently in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

That’s 13.6 million children whose rights are not being met. Each has a story to tell—like Samar, who fled Khartoum with her family to Kassala state, where the fighting is less intense. Samar and her family now live in a classroom at a primary school.

One year ago, life was so different for the family of five. Samar attended grade 6 and enjoyed playing the violin. While the war has separated her from the violin, something that saddens her, her love for music and playing continues.

“Before we left Khartoum, we had moved to a relative’s house, and I hadn’t taken my violin with me because we all thought we would return home soon. “I never got a chance to return to pick it,” she recalls as tears roll down her eyes.

Her wish is for the war to end so she gets back her violin. Often, Samar pretends to play the violin as her father sings along, humming and drumming.
While the war has disrupted her life, she won’t let it snatch her love for music.

“The violin is my friend. When I draw, sing, dance, I see the violin.”

UNICEF is scaling up its child protection response in Sudan. 2.8 million children and caregivers access mental health support in 2024.