Sudan’s War Triggers Unprecedented Humanitarian Suffering, UN Agencies Warn
Sudan is in the grip of an escalating humanitarian crisis described as “industrial in scale,” with no signs of peace on the horizon. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, “Two out of three people in Sudan are in need of aid — that’s 30 million people.” He stressed the urgent necessity for international support, lamenting that global donor contributions are instead dwindling.
The crisis stems from an ongoing conflict between two rival military factions — the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Fighting erupted on April 15, 2023, following the breakdown of a political transition to civilian rule after the ousting of President Omar al-Bashir. The war has since devastated cities and towns and claimed tens of thousands of lives. Over 12.4 million people have been displaced, including 3.3 million who have fled the country.
Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War
Since the onset of the conflict, sexual violence has become widespread, according to the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and multiple aid agencies. Speaking from Nairobi, OHCHR representative Li Fung recalled a harrowing account from a survivor who was told by RSF fighters, “We are your men now,” before being raped in front of her children.
Mounting Food Insecurity
As the conflict enters its second year, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has expressed deep concern over the growing hunger crisis. “Two years of war have made Sudan the world’s largest hunger emergency; famine is spreading,” said Leni Kinzli, WFP’s Communications Officer for Sudan. Over 25 million Sudanese now face acute food insecurity.
Kinzli underscored the vital impact of food aid for displaced families: “For a father forced from his home in Khartoum, it means he can feed his children. For a mother in an IDP camp in Kassala, it means her daughters can avoid malnutrition.”
Collapse of Healthcare Infrastructure
Amid reports that the RSF had seized the strategic town of Um Kadadah in Darfur from the SAF, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised alarms over increasing attacks on healthcare workers and facilities. WHO Representative Dr. Shible Sahbani reported 156 confirmed attacks over the past two years, resulting in more than 300 deaths and 270 injuries among patients and health workers.
UN Women echoed these concerns, revealing that 80% of hospitals in conflict zones are now non-operational. The agency noted a sharp rise in maternal mortality and reported that 80% of displaced women and girls lack access to clean water, a situation described as “alarming” by Sofia Calltorp, UN Women’s Director in Geneva.
Funding Shortfalls Threaten Life-Saving Support
The deepening crisis is further exacerbated by a global drop in humanitarian funding. Olga Sarrado, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), warned that constrained resources are jeopardizing critical programs and forcing aid agencies to make impossible choices.
“Inside Sudan, reduced funding will cut off clean water access for at least 500,000 displaced people,” Sarrado noted, raising the likelihood of cholera outbreaks and other waterborne diseases. With refugees increasingly turning to desperate coping mechanisms, agencies are calling for urgent and renewed donor support.
As violence intensifies and humanitarian needs skyrocket, aid organizations stress that the world cannot afford to turn away from Sudan’s deepening catastrophe.
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