Sudan

Humanitarian Situation

Conflicts, natural disasters and epidemics continue to affect children and women in the Sudan. Active conflicts in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states that started in the wake of the secession of South Sudan in July 2011 have driven over 210,000 people across the borders into neighbouring South Sudan and Ethiopia, while an estimated 695,000 people in the affected states have been internally displaced or severely affected. Almost no humanitarian assistance has been allowed into the non-government-held areas since the start of the conflict. Since the conflict erupted in Abyei (the oil-rich area disputed by the Sudan and South Sudan) in May 2011, 67,000 people remain displaced. In Darfur, despite improved security in some areas, major armed movements remain uncommitted to the peace process, and 1.7 million people remain in internally displaced persons’ camps. Floods and epidemics also continue to affect the country. The high levels of acute malnutrition, with prevalence of global acute malnutrition of 16.4 per cent and severe acute malnutrition of 5.3 per cent, both above emergency thresholds, continue to be a major concern¹. This translates to more than 300,000 children with life-threatening severe wasting at any given time.

Results from 2012

UNICEF appealed for US$98,083,000 for its programmes in 2012 and, as of the end of October, received a total of US$36,117,778 (or 37 per cent of the requested amount) in contributions. In conjunction with its nutrition partners, UNICEF increased the number of children treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) to more than 52,100 over a seven-month period, a 38 per cent increase over the same period in 2011; an additional 84 SAM centres and 11 mobile clinics in hard-to-reach conflict areas contributed to this increase. Approximately 1.5 million children under the age of 5 received long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) through a joint project with the Global Fund and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), while immunization campaigns also continued to reach vulnerable populations. UNICEF supported the Government in providing services in water and sanitation, child protection, education and HIV. Construction and rehabilitation of water sources and sanitation facilities improved, especially in emergency areas. UNICEF’s Child Protection Section focused on protecting children in armed conflict and coordinated child protection responses in emergencies, including the publication of Community Child Protection Networks in the Sudan. UNICEF supported the Government in increasing the number of children accessing education, including those in conflict-affected areas. Over 11,300 children were reached through enrolment campaigns, and more than 16,600 children accessed temporary learning spaces. UNICEF supported the national AIDS program to reduce new paediatric HIV infections through prevention of mother-to-child transmission; 25,900 pregnant women were tested for HIV, and 100 who tested positive received antiretroviral therapy (ART).

UNICEF funding requirements for 2013

In line with the country’s Inter-Agency Consolidated Appeal for 2013, UNICEF is requesting US$71,335,681 to meet the humanitarian needs of children in the Sudan in 2013. Without additional funding, UNICEF will be unable to support the national response to the country’s continuing nutrition crisis or provide critical basic services in WASH, health, education and child protection to internally displaced persons and other conflict-affected people.