Emergency response in Sudan

The brutal war is creating the perfect storm for a catastrophic loss of children’s lives. Food insecurity is soaring, while the number of children being treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) has surged, particularly across Sudan’s five Darfur states. In North Darfur alone, more than 40,000 children were admitted for treatment for SAM in the first five months of 2025 – double the number for the same period last year. Meanwhile, the number of grave child rights violations have soared in 2025, underscoring the escalating risks faced by children, particularly girls, who remain vulnerable to multiple forms of abuse and exploitation by parties to the conflict in Sudan.

With vaccination coverage dropping due to the fighting and subsequent access issues, ongoing disease outbreaks such as cholera, measles, malaria and dengue, and millions of children lacking access to safe drinking water, hundreds of thousands are at significant risk of dying.

The impact of the conflict on education, meanwhile, has been devastating. Schools have been closed in most states since the start of the war. Around 17 million children are not in school, with buildings that were once centres of learning now shelters for internally displaced children. The ongoing disruption to education will result in a generational crisis for Sudan.

In areas where Sudanese children have fled to, including neighbouring countries, children are encountering numerous obstacles in accessing essential services, including education and healthcare. These displaced and refugee children are in desperate need of safety, stability, and psychosocial support as they navigate the challenges of starting over in unfamiliar surroundings. The large numbers of displaced families are also placing a significant burden on host communities that have shown considerable generosity, but who were in many cases already grappling with crises of their own.