Synopsis
Officials from UN agencies and international organizations have raised alarms about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which has resulted in widespread famine and severe human rights abuses amid ongoing conflict.Key Takeaways
- UN agencies report a humanitarian crisis of industrial proportions in Sudan.
- 30 million people, or two-thirds of the population, are in need of aid.
- Nearly 13 million people have been displaced due to conflict.
- Women and girls face daily threats, including sexual violence.
- 25 million people are experiencing hunger in Sudan.
Geneva, April 12 (NationPress) Officials from United Nations (UN) agencies and international organizations have raised concerns regarding the magnitude of the humanitarian emergency in Sudan, where two years of armed conflict have led to what they describe as a humanitarian crisis of industrial proportions.
Famine is rapidly escalating, and civilians continue to endure severe abuses including rape, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
During a regular press briefing in Geneva, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stated that the crisis shows no signs of resolution.
“With no viable peace in sight, the Sudanese are trapped in a humanitarian crisis of industrial proportions,” he remarked.
“Two out of three people need aid - that's 30 million people. This, of course, demands a massive ramp-up of international support. What we see instead is donors pulling back funding across the world.”
Olga Sarrado, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), indicated that Sudan is currently experiencing the world's most severe displacement crisis.
She highlighted that nearly 13 million people have been displaced by the conflict, with around 4 million fleeing to neighboring countries.
Within Sudan, internally displaced persons (IDPs) are struggling to access clean drinking water, and refugee camps in nations such as South Sudan, Chad, and Uganda are extremely overcrowded, leaving women and children particularly vulnerable.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), stated that High Commissioner Volker Turk had condemned the warring parties for executing a “wholesale assault on human rights.”
Shamdasani emphasized that sexual violence remains prevalent, with women and girls continuing to endure rape and exploitation.
Li Fung, OHCHR's representative in Sudan, speaking via video link, warned of increasing violence and growing threats to civilian safety. Refugees in Chad have provided distressing accounts of atrocities including rape, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
Leni Kinzli, World Food Programme (WFP) communications officer for Sudan, mentioned that the conflict has now resulted in the largest hunger crisis globally. “Famine continues to spread, and 25 million people - nearly half the population - are facing hunger,” she stated.
Shible Sahbani, the World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Sudan, noted that the war has resulted in an unprecedented health emergency, with violence, displacement, hunger, disease, and death overwhelming communities. He reported that 20.3 million people - over 40 percent of Sudan's population - urgently need health services. Malnutrition is widespread, with 3.7 million people requiring immediate nutritional support.
Sofia Calltorp, director of UN Women in Geneva and chief of humanitarian action, described Sudan as the world's worst humanitarian emergency for women and girls. More than 6 million displaced women and girls are facing daily threats to their safety and survival, she added, noting that gender-based and sexual violence has surged, alongside a sharp increase in maternal mortality, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, cited by the UN, the conflict has claimed at least 29,683 lives.
