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“With no clear path to peace, the people of Sudan face a monumental humanitarian crisis,” remarked Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA.
“Two-thirds of the population, approximately 30 million individuals, are in need of assistance…This situation necessitates a substantial increase in international support, yet we are witnessing a withdrawal of funding from donors across the globe.”
The conflict, which erupted on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) stems from a faltering transition to civilian governance following the ousting of longtime President Omar al-Bashir. Intense battles have devastated numerous towns and cities, leading to significant loss of life, with tens of thousands reported dead.
More than 12.4 million people have been displaced, including over 3.3 million who have fled the country as refugees.
Sexual violence as a weapon of conflict
From the beginning of the conflict, aid workers and representatives from the UN human rights office, OHCHR, have consistently highlighted the widespread issue of sexual violence in Sudan.
“A survivor described being told, ‘You belong to us now,’ right before RSF fighters assaulted her in front of her children,” stated Li Fung, OHCHR Representative in Sudan, during a press briefing from Nairobi.
Concurrent with these reports, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) expressed serious concerns regarding the 25 million individuals facing severe food shortages in the country. “The war’s impact has turned Sudan into the epicenter of hunger globally, and famine conditions are worsening,” emphasized Leni Kinzli, WFP Communications Officer for Sudan, also addressing reporters from Kenya.
Critical humanitarian support
As part of a plea for financial assistance to bolster the UN agency’s operations, Kinzli underscored the necessity of food support for internally displaced people (IDPs): “This aid allows a father displaced from Khartoum to provide for his family of four; it empowers a mother in an IDP camp in Kassala to prepare basic meals for her daughters to prevent malnutrition.”
Reports indicate that RSF forces recently captured the strategic Darfur town of Um Kadadah from the SAF. In this context, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms over an increase in assaults on healthcare professionals and facilities.
Over the past two years, there have been 156 confirmed attacks on health services, resulting in “more than 300 deaths and over 270 injuries among patients and healthcare providers,” noted Dr. Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative in Sudan, speaking via a connection from Cairo.
The challenge of funding cuts
UN Women echoed these alarm bells, indicating that 80 percent of hospitals in conflict zones are now non-operational, with maternal mortality rates rising “at an alarming rate.”
Currently, 80% of displaced women and girls in Sudan lack access to safe drinking water, highlighted Sofia Calltorp, UN Women Director in Geneva, emphasizing the severe implications of significant global humanitarian funding cuts.
“Recent reductions in humanitarian aid threaten critical programs, leaving teams to make difficult decisions and forcing refugees to adopt harmful strategies to fulfill basic needs,” commented UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado.
“In Sudan, funding reductions will compromise access to clean water for at least half a million displaced individuals, greatly heightening the risk of cholera and other waterborne illnesses,” she clarified.
Source
news.un.org