Sudan is now grappling with what has been described as the world’s largest and most devastating humanitarian crisis, according to Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF.
Since war erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), along with their associated militias, tens of thousands of civilians have lost their lives, and over 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
Around 3.5 million of these individuals have sought refuge in neighboring countries. “This is not just a crisis, it is a poly-crisis affecting every sector, from health and nutrition to water, education and protection,” said Catherine Russell.
Children are bearing the brunt of the escalating violence. UNICEF has reported alarming cases of grave violations against children, including killings, sexual violence, and forced recruitment into armed groups.
Between June and December 2024 alone, over 900 cases of severe child rights violations were recorded, with 80 percent involving killings or maiming. “The data only gives us a glimpse into what we know is a far larger, more devastating crisis.”
“Children in Sudan are enduring unimaginable suffering and horrific violence. The last time I was in Sudan, I met with families and children who are living through this nightmare. Their stories are heartbreaking — and demand immediate action.”
Catherine Russell
Despite the desperate need for assistance, humanitarian organizations continue to struggle with access. Bureaucratic and administrative obstacles, as well as shifting battlefronts, have made aid delivery unpredictable. Humanitarian workers are increasingly at risk of being extorted, attacked, and even killed.
Over 770,000 children are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year, many of them in areas entirely cut off from humanitarian relief. “Without lifesaving aid, many of these children will die,” Russell stressed, urging the UN Security Council to pressure all parties to allow unimpeded humanitarian access, particularly through key border crossings.
She concluded her remarks by emphasizing the urgency of international intervention. She called for the immediate protection of children, essential infrastructure, and accountability for those responsible for violations, particularly acts of sexual violence.
She further urged the Security Council to secure humanitarian access and to put an end to military support for the warring factions. Additionally, she highlighted the need for increased funding, stating that UNICEF alone requires $1 billion to provide life-saving assistance to 8.7 million vulnerable children.
“Without these urgent actions, this crisis will further overwhelm Sudanese society, and the suffering will increase exponentially, resulting in a generational catastrophe that threatens the future of Sudan, the region, and beyond.”
Catherine Russell
Scenes of Carnage in War-Torn Regions
Also addressing the Security Council was Christopher Lockyear, Secretary General of Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), who described the devastation he witnessed firsthand in Sudan.
In Khartoum, he saw the aftermath of an RSF shelling attack on the Sabreen Market in Omdurman. The MSF-supported Al-Nao Hospital, one of the few still operating in the area, was overwhelmed with casualties.
“The hospital was a scene of utter carnage: waves of patients with catastrophic injuries filled every corner of the emergency room.”
Christopher Lockyear
“I witnessed the lives of men, women, and children being torn apart in front of me,” he added, revealing that the same week, SAF forces bombed a peanut oil factory and civilian neighborhoods in Nyala, South Darfur, leaving yet another MSF-supported hospital inundated with victims.
These attacks, Lockyear said, are just some of the many examples of the “merciless” war being waged.
He appealed to Security Council members for an immediate and sustained response, stressing that the humanitarian aid system in Sudan is currently paralyzed due to bureaucratic delays, security concerns, and political obstruction.
He called for a new “humanitarian compact” that genuinely commits to the protection of civilians, ensures aid workers have the operational space they need, and holds warring parties accountable under international humanitarian law.
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