Two Years On: Children in Sudan are living through one of the world’s worst crises

“In a world that can so often seem to be a hopeless place, we need children’s hope, more than ever.”
— António Guterres, UN Secretary-General  

As Sudan marks two years of brutal conflict -730 days of destruction, displacement, and despair- the toll on children is staggering.

Since fighting erupted in April 2023, Sudan has become the world’s largest child displacement crisis.  Over 15 million children are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. More than 7 million have been displaced, often multiple times. Schools have turned into shelters or battlegrounds, and classrooms now echo in silence. Childhood—once marked by laughter and learning—is increasingly deafened by fear, hunger, and loss.

Children like Wisam, a 9-year-old girl, should be in school, not fleeing bullets. Children like Nashwa, once planning to be a doctor, now carry water to survive. And Aminah, a 17-year-old survivor of sexual violence, bears invisible scars the world cannot see.

A crisis on every front 

Beyond the staggering displacement, the war has created a perfect storm of hunger, disease, and trauma:

• Famine has already taken hold in at least five locations. A further five areas are on the brink of famine, with 17 other locations at risk.  
• Diseases are spreading. In 2024 alone, 49,000 reported cholera cases and more than 11,000 cases of dengue fever were reported - 60 per cent affecting mothers and children.
• Psychological wounds run deep. Children exposed to violence, loss, and repeated displacement are showing signs of severe emotional distress.

Across Sudan, the needs are staggering and growing, especially for the most vulnerable: children, women, and those in hard-to-reach areas.

Lifeline of hope 

Despite immense operational challenges and limited funding, UNICEF, with partners, continues to respond across Sudan:

• Restoring access to safe water in states like Gedaref, where systems are bringing hope and health back to entire communities.
• Reaching malnourished children with therapeutic foods and medical care—even in hard-to-reach areas like Darfur. Though access remains a challenge due to insecurity and bureaucratic impediments.
• Supporting safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence, where girls are receiving care, counselling, and hope.
• Providing school supplies and learning spaces for over 200,000 displaced children, helping them stay connected to education amid displacement and loss.

UNICEF is doing everything possible to reach children in need. But the scale of the crisis is staggering—and resources are stretched thin.

What children in Sudan urgently need? 

With partners, UNICEF teams are doing all their utmost to deliver life-saving assistance to children and families. But it is not enough. To reach all children across Sudan, UNICEF urgently needs:

• Unimpeded humanitarian access – including across conflict lines and borders.
• Secured humanitarian corridors and safe delivery routes.
• Respect for international humanitarian and human rights law.
• Increased and flexible funding to scale up response.
• And above all, a cessation of hostilities.

Hope remains

Despite everything, Sudan’s children have not given up hope—and neither will the UNICEF team.

Every school kit distributed, every clean water point opened, every child-friendly space brings a piece of normalcy back to the children’s lives, every girl protected from harm is a step toward a future where Sudan's children can reclaim what was taken - their future.

But to continue the work, the world needs to act and stand with the children —with urgency, compassion, and commitment.