Sudan’s humanitarian situation has reached a breaking point, with millions of children facing starvation, displacement, and violence as the country’s conflict drags on, according to new United Nations reports released this week.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that more than 3 million children under the age of five are at risk of severe acute malnutrition before the end of 2025 — the highest number ever recorded in Sudan. The agency described the crisis as “a catastrophe for an entire generation,” with access to food, healthcare, and clean water collapsing across much of the country.
Since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, millions of civilians have been caught in the crossfire. The conflict has displaced more than 10 million people, including 6 million children, making Sudan home to the world’s largest internal displacement crisis, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
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Health facilities have been destroyed or shut down in several regions, particularly in Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan. Aid agencies report that only one in three hospitals remains operational, and many lack medicine, fuel, or personnel. Outbreaks of cholera, measles, and malaria are spreading rapidly due to poor sanitation and overcrowded displacement camps.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell urged global action, saying, “Without immediate access and funding, thousands of children will die from hunger and disease in the coming weeks. The world cannot turn away from Sudan.”
Despite repeated calls for ceasefires, fighting continues in major urban centers and rural communities, hampering humanitarian access. Aid convoys have faced looting and airstrikes, forcing agencies to suspend operations in some areas. The UN says that only 38 percent of its $2.6 billion humanitarian appeal for Sudan has been funded, leaving millions without essential aid.
Analysts warn that if the situation continues unchecked, Sudan could face a famine on a scale not seen in decades. Neighboring countries, including Chad and South Sudan, are also struggling to cope with the influx of refugees.
For ordinary Sudanese families, survival has become a daily battle. “We have no food, no medicine, and nowhere to go,” said Fatima Idris, a displaced mother in White Nile State. “Every day, we just pray to live through tomorrow.”