The ongoing conflict in Sudan is putting the lives and future of an entire generation of children at risk, warned Lucia Elmi, UNICEF’s Director of Emergency Programs, following a recent visit to the war-torn country. Elmi described the situation as one of the most devastating humanitarian crises globally, where millions of children are trapped between violent conflict, displacement, hunger, and psychological trauma.
“Sudan is on the brink of losing an entire generation,” Elmi stated, urging all actors—governments, donors, and parties to the conflict—to take immediate, coordinated action. “Children are being killed, maimed, displaced, and deprived of every basic right. The world must act now.”
Dire Statistics Paint a Grim Picture
According to UNICEF, more than 16 million children across Sudan are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, while nearly 17 million have been out of school for the past two years, with no access to formal education due to the war and displacement.
The situation for girls is particularly alarming. Elmi highlighted the increased risks of sexual violence, trafficking, and forced marriage, with more than 12 million people—mostly women and girls—facing gender-based violence across conflict zones.
Children are also at growing risk of recruitment by armed groups, child labor, and early marriage, as families struggle with extreme poverty and insecurity.
A Daily Reality of Violence & Psychological Trauma
Elmi noted that violations against children in Sudan are reported daily, ranging from killings and injuries to abductions and severe psychological trauma. The intensity of conflict in urban areas such as Khartoum, and displacement in regions like Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan, has left children with deep emotional scars.
“The psychological toll is catastrophic,” Elmi said. “Children are suffering from anxiety, depression, and trauma. They have lost parents, homes, and any sense of normalcy.”
UNICEF Calls for Immediate Action
UNICEF is calling for urgent humanitarian access across conflict lines and international borders, the protection of aid workers and life-saving supplies, and a dramatic increase in funding to respond to the rapidly escalating crisis. But above all, the agency emphasized the need to end the violence and restore hope to Sudan’s youth.
Since the outbreak of the war in April 2023, Sudan has descended into one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent memory, with more than 10 million displaced and nearly 25 million people in need of aid. The war, driven by a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), continues to devastate civilian infrastructure and communities.
UNICEF reiterated its commitment to remain on the ground and deliver aid wherever access is possible but warned that without decisive action from the international community and local stakeholders, millions of children face a future defined by violence, illiteracy, and irreversible trauma.
