United Nations in Sudan

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Sudan:

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Publication

12 November 2024

The Socio-Economic Impact of Armed Conflict on Sudanese Urban Households

New Study: Short-term humanitarian aid alone insufficient to address severe deterioration in employment, income, access to essential services and food security.Economic revival, social protection, and infrastructure rehabilitation are critical for urban recovery in Sudan.Nairobi, 12 November 2024 – Eighteen months of war have deeply affected urban households in Sudan: 31 percent have been displaced, full-time employment has plummeted by half, over 70 percent of the urban households in Sudan had all or some of school-aged kids stop attending school, and only one out of seven urban households can access full health services—concluded a new joint study from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), launched today."The Socioeconomic Impact of Armed Conflict on Sudanese Urban Households" study provides a comprehensive assessment of how the ongoing conflict affects urban households in Sudan. With two-thirds of the fighting concentrated in cities of over 100,000 people, understanding impacts of the war on urban livelihoods is crucial for addressing both immediate economic challenges and long-term development obstacles. The study is based on analyses of a comprehensive survey of urban households across the country that both organizations conducted between May 2024 and July 2024, including 3,000 households."The ongoing conflict is intensifying already critical challenges, including widespread food insecurity," said Khalid Siddig, Senior Research Fellow and Program Leader for the Sudan Strategy Support Program at IFPRI. "In 2022, before the conflict began, only half of the population reported being food secure. Since then, the proportion of food-secure urban households has plunged from approximately 54 percent to just 20 percent.”The study observes that while the share of the population receiving assistance has increased overall during the conflict, a substantial 76 percent of the population reported receiving no assistance at all. Most reported relying on personal networks of family members and friends, rather than government institutions, international humanitarian agencies or domestic civil society organizations.“This study reveals significantly deepening vulnerabilities that Sudanese urban households are facing today on many fronts. No single intervention can adequately address this unfolding and multifaceted development crisis” stressed Luca Renda, UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan. “Expanding immediate short-term humanitarian relief is critical to help people survive and cope, but it will not be sufficient. It must be coupled with longer-term, development focused interventions that can help foster resilience and enable recovery.”The study emphasizes that addressing the challenges facing urban households in Sudan requires comprehensive, holistic multi-sectoral responses that go beyond a focus on alleviating immediate suffering to lay solid foundations for a sustainable recovery and durable resilience. Key actions required include:Implementing economic recovery programs that prioritize microfinance and business development services for more stable self-employment, support to small business, and vocational training.Expanding urban agricultural initiatives to help diversify food sources and offer sustainable access to the components of nutritious diets.Improving healthcare access by immediately deploying mobile health clinics while restoring and expanding affordable healthcare services.Restoring remote learning solutions and platforms as well as community-based centres to ensure that Sudan’s human capital is not irreversibly harmed, while working on rebuilding the education system with a focus on providing financial assistance to affected families.Increasing private-public partnerships and investment in decentralized systems, such as solar energy, rainwater harvesting and local sanitation solutions while working on restoring water, sanitation, and electricity infrastructure systems.Expanding and strengthening formal social protection programs to foster greater economic resilience, reduce reliance on informal networks and ensure that aid reaches the most vulnerable.Prioritizing housing, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities for displaced households.Additional Key FindingsThe proportion of urban households reporting having no income or employment has " surged to 18 percent compared to 1.6 percent pre-conflict. Unemployment is projected to surpass 45 percent by the end of 2024.While Sudan is now among four countries in the world with the highest prevalence of acute malnutrition, estimated at 13.6 percent, nearly half of the urban population faces moderate to severe food insecurity.Over 56 percent of urban households reported being in poorer or much poorer health than they were pre-conflict, as access to full health services dropped dramatically from 78 percent to 15.5 percent.While 63.6 percent of urban households reported that all school-age children in the household have ceased attendance, over 88 percent had at least one school-aged child ceased attending school since the conflict began.Access to piped water has decreased from 72.5 percent to 51.6 percent, while nearly 90 percent of households reported deteriorating reliability of electricity supply. The Arabic version of the report will be available shortly For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact:UNDP | Robert Few | UNDP County Office in Sudan Robert.Few@UNDP.orgIFPRI | Evgeniya Anisimova | Media and Digital Engagement Manager | IFPRI – Washington DC e.anisimova@cgiar.org | +1 (202) 726-4394 About IFPRIThe International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI’s strategic research aims to identify and analyse alternative international and country-led strategies and policies for meeting food and nutrition needs in low- and middle-income countries, with particular emphasis on poor and vulnerable groups in those countries, gender equity, and sustainability. It is a research centre of CGIAR, a worldwide partnership engaged in agricultural research for development. www.ifpri.org About UNDPUNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. http://www.undp.org , filtered_html

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Speech

25 September 2024

Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan calls for end of hostilities, protection of civilians, and unimpeded access

Port Sudan -- As world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, urged Member States and the international community to focus on the plight of millions of people in Sudan who have endured more than 17 months of brutal conflict, which has resulted in the world’s fastest-growing civilian displacement and humanitarian crisis.“Humanitarians across Sudan are calling on the international community to step up to end the devastating conflict and ensure unrestricted access so that more than 150 aid organizations operating in the country can reach the millions of people facing acute hunger and disease – and staring down famine,” Ms. NkwetaSalami said.The crisis in Sudan and the region will take centre stage at UN Headquarters on Wednesday, 25 September, when Member States join together with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Refugee Agency, to call for urgent and collective support to address the humanitarian catastrophe and push for peace.“This is exactly why the UN was created: to prevent war and alleviate human suffering,” the Humanitarian Coordinator added. "Each passing hour means women and children in parts of El Fasher, Khartoum, Aj Jazirah, Sennar and other areas directly affected by conflict are likely dying from hostilities, malnutrition, or illness.”Since the conflict erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, an estimated 20,000 people have been killed and thousands of others injured. More than 10 million people – or over one in every five people – have fled their homes, including 8.1 million who have been displaced within Sudan and another 2.4 million who crossed the borders to neighbouring and other countries.In recent days, at least 1,500 people were displaced from El Fasher, capital of North Darfur State following the escalation of hostilities in the town. “Once again, I urge the parties to halt attacks on civilians, homes and essential facilities, such as hospitals, which are protected under the international humanitarian law,” Ms. Nkweta-Salami said.The situation in and around El Fasher is of particular concern, after the Famine Review Committee of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification confirmed famine conditions in the Zamzam displacement camp in August. Another 13 areas, including two other displacement camps in North Darfur, are likely experiencing similar conditions and need urgent access and assistance.Meanwhile, the outbreak of cholera and incidences of water or vector-borne diseases are aggravating the already dire situation that malnourished people, especially children and women, are facing. According to the Sudanese authorities, the number of cholera cases reported over the past two months has reached 13,300, including 415 related deaths.Despite insecurity, access and funding challenges, humanitarian partners provided more than 8 million people across Sudan with some form of humanitarian assistance this year. Over the past week, humanitarian organizations started distributing emergency food aid for about 180,000 people in Zamzam camp.Meanwhile, following the re-opening of the Adre border point between Chad and Sudan, UN aid agencies have moved 135 trucks with essential life-saving supplies for about 520,000 people via the crossing. “The aid through Adre and food for people in Zamzam camp, where famine has been confirmed, are a testament to what the UN and humanitarian partners can accomplish,” the Humanitarian Coordinator said. “However, unrestricted access and additional funding are critical to reach more people in acute need.”Nine months into the year, the Sudan humanitarian appeal, seeking US$2.7 billion, is less than 50 per cent funded. This is constraining and limiting the response efforts of the UN, international and national NGOs on the ground, including in Darfur, Khartoum, Kordofan and other areas., filtered_html

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Press Release

01 September 2024

Deputy Secretary-General's press encounter at the conclusion of her visit to Sudan

Thank you very much, and we very much appreciate the one day that we have had here in the Port of Sudan, where we have met with the Government, and we have met with many stakeholders. The visit has been at the opportunity of the Government opening up the border in Adre. The humanitarian task that we have in Sudan has been very big. It has been one that we have been consistently supporting the Government to try to address the crisis in the country.The many atrocities that we have seen [inaudible] upon men, women, children, especially, and for that, we wanted to come to speak and to support the Government in keeping that border open and aid to the people that need it most across the country. But in this particular case, this new opening gave us another opportunity.The second, of course, is to bring the international community again to see the visibility of the crisis here in Sudan. It is a huge one. There are many people suffering. It requires enormous support for commitments that have been made to the humanitarian cause, but have to be fulfilled, and they have to be done urgently.We have impending crisis around famine. We are not getting medical supplies in where there are health crises. But more importantly, we have to remember the suffering of the people, and we are here to do this with the Government of Sudan.So that really has been the main reason for coming here. This is not outside of the political processes that are being supported by the United Nations and the Personal Envoy to the Secretary-General, but we would like all of them to happen at the same time, because, of course, the suffering of the people in this country is one of the worst crises in the world today. Question: Was there any discussion about the negotiations between SAF and RSF?Deputy Secretary-General: The discussions that we had with the President and with members of his cabinet were principally around the humanitarian agenda and the urgency of this. Of course, there were discussions to say that, agreed, is the Jeddah process, and that is one that must be actioned, and we must try to do that as urgently as possible. There is consensus there, and there is no reason why that cannot be moved forward.Question: Has there been any progress on agreeing on the procedures for entering Adre?Deputy Secretary-General: Yes, there has. What we have done is to sit down with the humanitarian aid commission, and then we have had discussions on how, first of all, not to stop any of the aid that is available right now going in. But in parallel, to address legitimate concerns of the government and put in procedures that would ensure this aid gets to people where it's meant to.Question: Did you receive any commitment from the Sudan Government to open other borders for aid delivery? Because humanitarians are always speaking about others cross borders, with South Sudan, etc.Deputy Secretary-General: There are many border posts that have already been opened. I believe Adre makes it 11, if I'm not mistaken. That's a number of border openings. What we have to do is to match the openings of these borders with the aid that goes in, and that means resources, and so we need those resources, and we need them now so that we can contend with what we have. As I said, there are many challenges to getting aid to where they are needed. It will be also remiss of me not to say that we have also in consideration, the refugees and the crisis also in Chad. There are many refugees in Chad, and of course, to get through to Adre, you are in Chad. So we're also looking at that. Thank you., filtered_html

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Story

05 May 2023

Escaping Sudan: Home alone, with warplanes overhead

When fighting erupted in Sudan’s capital Khartoum, 25-year-old Arafa was at home alone with her two young children. “I spent the night in fear, unable to go out of my house, as people were being killed everywhere,” she said, worrying about how she would protect her five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. Panicked by the sounds of shooting and warplanes flying overhead, she tried calling her husband at work, only to learn from friends that he had been shot dead. No time to mourn With no time to mourn and no clear plan, she fled Khartoum with her two young children in a desperate bid to escape. Setting out by bus, she arrived in Madani, a city 135 kilometres southeast of Khartoum, where a local man offered to help them leave the country. Together with five others, they were driven to Port Sudan, the country’s main eastern seaport. From there they walked for a whole day before finding transport towards the Egyptian border. “I was scared, tired, and without hope,” she said, noting that she spent 80 hours without food or water. “The road was difficult, and the continued sound of gunfire was deafening. I did not think we would make it. I was holding my children in my arms, fearing the war, the journey to asylum, and the long road ahead.” Nowhere else to go After crossing the border, they were eventually driven to Cairo and dropped off in a square in the unfamiliar city. With nowhere else to go, Arafa and her children spent the night on the street. Arafa said that in the morning, a South Sudanese woman was passing by and saw her. “She advised me to go to the office of UNHCR and register with them,” she said, adding that her family is now registered for assistance with the agency and is living with the kind South Sudanese woman. ‘We are together, with the refugees’ Like the other countries neighbouring Sudan that have been impacted by the conflict, Egypt already hosts a large refugee population. With UNHCR operations in these countries already acutely underfunded, the refugee agency said increased support will be vital to respond to the humanitarian needs of those fleeing the violence. That includes about 60,000 Khartoum residents that have fled the city for safety. Randa Osman, an assistant field officer with UNHCR, provided an update from the Shagarab Refugee Camp in eastern Sudan. “Despite the ongoing conflict, we are together, hand by hand, with the refugees, listening to them, and being with the people we serve in all situations in Sudan,” she said. Amid airstrikes, armed attacks, and urban warfare, more than 100,000 Sudanese have already reportedly escaped into neighbouring countries, with their harrowing stories echoing the plight of tens of thousands of others who are frantically fleeing, since fierce fighting between rival military groups began on 15 April. Devastating chaos For Marwa, who was preparing breakfast for her 11-month-old son in their home near Khartoum airport on that morning, life changed in an instant. The humanitarian worker had planned on that Saturday to welcome home her husband from a trip ahead of Eid celebrations. Instead, after days of devastating chaos, shooting, and violence, she wended through embattled streets to find a way to escape. Grabbing a few belongings, including some medication and some clothes, she joined thousands of other families fleeing for safety. Her journey from Khartoum to Egypt was a stressful, exhausting mix of heat, hunger, fear, sleepless nights, and mosquito bites, she said. Now in a safe place, Marwa said she feels helpless, unable to help those who have remained behind. “As a person working in the humanitarian field, it was very hard for me to see this situation but be unable to help,” she said. “My husband is still in Kassala, and we have no idea how we’ll be reunited. We’re still trying to work that out.” Fleeing with nothing “We fled Sudan for Chad,” said Halime Issakh Oumar, who is now a refugee. “We want to be safe. There is no security. We came with nothing, not even food or something to drink.” The stories of Arafa, Marwa, and Halime mirror those of almost 21,000 Sudanese who sought refuge in neighbouring Chad. Another 10,000 Sudanese have fled to Central African Republic, and, as of Thursday, 47,000 have escaped to safety in Egypt, according UN reports. In these countries as well as neighbouring Ethiopia and South Sudan, thousands of men, women, and children are arriving, some after perilous journeys, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and other UN entities. Assisting growing numbers of refugees Africa’s second largest refugee-hosting country, Sudan hosts more than 1.14 million refugees. Before the onset of the conflict, more than 3.7 million people were internally displaced, and now, there are many more, UNHCR said. As the warring military factions have repeatedly broken fragile ceasefire agreements, several UN agencies say the numbers of refugees will continue to grow. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is currently recording more than 1,000 daily arrivals in Ethiopia, where the majority – 39 per cent – are returning Ethiopians, and 17 per cent are Sudanese and third country nationals from more than 50 other countries. Raghuveer Sharma, who moved to Sudan from India in 2021, had worked at a steel plant outside Khartoum at the outset of the conflict. For a full week, armed groups had entered the premises daily, looting and firing weapons indiscriminately, taking a hostage, and demanding vehicles and mobile phones, he told UN News. “We made a plan that as soon as armed groups entered the guest house, we would not let them come inside,” he said. “As long as we had vehicles and mobile phones, our lives would be spared.” Grateful for being evacuated, he said he hopes the situation in Sudan returns to normal soon. A ‘perfect storm’ The UN estimates that as many as 270,000 Sudanese could end up crossing the seven international borders of the 48 million-strong nation – the third largest country in Africa. UNHCR said on Thursday that the agency is expecting an outflow of 860,000 refugees and returnees from Sudan. The World Food Programme (WFP) warned of “a perfect storm” in Chad, where the influx of refugees is unfolding weeks before the onset of the lean season between harvests, which is expected to leave an estimated 1.9 million people severely food insecure. Pounding rains arriving about the same time, threaten to turn swathes of desert into rivers, imperiling deliveries of key food assistance to the refugees and other vulnerable groups, the agency said. “It’s a perfect storm,” said Pierre Honnorat, WFP Country Director and Representative in Chad. “The lean season coming in June, and the rainy season that will cut off all those regions.” Everything lost ‘in the blink of an eye’ The Sudanese people’s stories paint a somber picture of how conflict can instantaneously shatter lives. A 16-year-old Sudanese girl had made it across the Chadian border to safety. “I would love to go back to my country,” she said, “but only if we are safe there.” While many have managed to escape the fighting and reach safety, Arafa said her own family’s future feels far from secure. “I can’t believe I am here in Egypt now, but I am still afraid of everything,” Arafa said. “I need help. I am afraid of the future. I lost my home, my husband, and my country in the blink of an eye. I don’t want to lose my children too. I want them to be safe.” UN in action Across the border towns lacing Sudan, UN agencies are working to help those in need. Here is a snapshot of some of what is happening on the ground: In Chad and Sudan, UN agencies are bringing in more than 70,000 core relief items from its global stockpiles. In Egypt, the UN is conducting an assessment mission on the needs of people fleeing Sudan. The UN and the Egyptian Red Crescent are delivering water, food, wheelchairs, and hygiene and sanitary kits to new arrivals. A social media account and website run by UNHCR offers up-to-date information for refugees in Egypt. UNHCR launched a preliminary inter-agency regional refugee response plan on Thursday to address urgent financial needs as soon as possible, which requires $445 million to support the displaced until October. At border crossings, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provides families with essential items and medical services. IOM is providing such support services as transportation and accommodation to refugees and returnees at border areas, where the agency has set up transit centres. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) continues to support partners to provide life-saving health care, distribute supplies for safe births, and to manage obstetric emergencies through a network of midwives. WFP provides assistance in the region, and it is urgently appealing for emergency funding, including at least $145.6 million to continue supporting newly arrived and existing refugees in Chad, along with host communities. This article first appeared in UN News. , filtered_html

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Hundreds of newly arrived Sudanese refugees gather to receive UNHCR relief kits at the Madjigilta site in Chad's Ouaddaï region.

Story

10 February 2025

Safety amid uncertainty in Sudan

“There was a lot of gunfire around where I live,” says 17-year-old Remah as she recalls the wave of violence that swept Al Jazirah state in late 2024. “I was really scared. We didn’t know where we were going. We didn’t have a plan. But my family decided we had to leave immediately.”After fleeing on foot, Remah and her family eventually arrived at the recently established Arab 6 camp in Kassala state, eastern Sudan. The camp is home to an estimated 1,600 families, many of whom walked for days to get here as they fled spiralling conflict back home.Remah is sitting on the floor of a child-friendly space, drawing a young woman with a butterfly fluttering towards her. She sketches the outline of the face and hair quickly, clutching some coloured pencils as she talks. She’s remarkably focused considering the boisterous atmosphere in the tent.“I’ve liked drawing since I was little,” she says. “I like drawing traditional dresses.”Chaos, comfortSalawa, 17, also likes drawing, but gets her inspiration from anime characters she saw on TV before she fled her home with her father and brothers. “But there isn’t any TV here,” she says.One of Salawa’s friends was killed in the fighting and her family house was destroyed. “I don’t know what happened to some of my family,” she says.Salawa has been at Arab 6 for almost three months, but she isn’t sure how long her family will stay. “I feel sad. I don’t know where we’ll go next,” she says. “I miss my home and my friends and my cats.”But she adds that she has made two new friends since she arrived at the site and is happy that she has been able to attend the child-friendly space because she gets a chance to spend some time with people her own age.“And I really like the time we get to draw,” she adds.Giving children somewhere to play allows them to work through feelings such as pain, fear or the loss of a loved one, while being able to still act like a child. Play also gives children a way to express things they are struggling with that they might not yet have the words to fully explain.Child-friendly spaces also provide an opportunity to raise awareness around risks to children as well as somewhere that information can be provided about available services and support. At the spaces in Arab 6 there are two social workers and two psychologists on hand to offer support.Abdullah has been a child-friendly space coordinator here with UNICEF partner CDF since November, and has already noticed a difference among the children attending the spaces. “We’re gradually seeing a positive change in the way the children interact with each other,” Abdullah says. “At first it was difficult with children from so many backgrounds. But now they’re becoming friends.”One of the most visible examples of that change? What the children are drawing. “When the children first arrived at the site, most of them were drawing guns, planes, those things,” he says. Now they rarely do.An estimated 17 million children in Sudan are out of school due to the ongoing conflict, exacerbating an already dire learning crisis. Hundreds of schools across the country are serving as shelters for displaced people, further disrupting the education system. As part of its efforts to help displaced children keep learning, UNICEF supported learning centres in Arab 6 have enrolled almost 1,600 children in classes. Children attend classes six days a week, typically starting at 7 a.m., and study the national curriculum. Taha, 13, has been in Arab 6 since November. He says he has been out of school since the war started but has been excited to be able to take classes at the learning space. “I like being able to take classes here because I really missed studying,” he says. In fact, he’s taking tests in Arabic and maths tomorrow.“I really like studying. I even read and study on my days off,” Taha says. Arabic is his favourite subject, but he says doesn’t like studying English. “It’s so difficult!” he adds with a smile.There are currently 20 teachers at Arab 6 – 13 women and 7 men – all of whom are themselves internally displaced. UNICEF has provided recreational kits and learning materials for the learning spaces. Across the country, UNICEF has worked with partners to provide more than 2.3 million children with formal and non-formal education opportunities. But even as some children have started to return to class, millions more remain out of school. Access to education is about more than the right to learn – schools protect children from physical dangers around them, including abuse and exploitation. They can also provide children with lifesaving food, water and healthcare, while giving children stability and structure to help them cope with the trauma they are experiencing. Without access to schools, the country’s current learning crisis will become a generational catastrophe.Taha says being back in classes has given him a chance to make new friends. “I’ve made a lot since I got here,” he says. “They come from different villages.”But learning is also giving him a chance once again to dream of a better future, and one day to have his own career – one where he can help those around him. “I want to be a doctor,” Taha says. “I want to make sure people get treatment and help people who need it.”, filtered_html

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Story

21 January 2025

UNDP supports farmers, businesses and women to boost incomes and improve nutrition

Arriving at a site for displaced people is often the beginning of the journey as well as the end.At that point, families have made it out of immediate danger, often crossing battlefields to do so, but they now find themselves living in the most basic conditions, uprooted from farms and communities, sometimes separated from family members and support networks. They’re unemployed, usually with no savings and no immediate answers for questions like where to find work, where to send their children to school, or even where to feed them.For some, the answer is humanitarian assistance - immediate cash grants and food. But Sudan is now the word's largest displacement crisis, with around 11m people forced from home, and the humanitarian appeal is only 37% funded. There will never be enough assistance available to help everyone, so it's critical that we empower Sudanese people to help themselves.One UNDP project is doing just that by offering tools, skills, access to loans and other support to women farmers and entrepreneurs across four states, both in displacement areas and in the communities that host them. Even while the war continues, these women in Kessala, Gedaref, River Nile and Blue Nile, are using that support to grow their own food, set up their own small businesses and keep their children in school with money they earn themselves.The project, which also provides access to solar power and aims to widen mobile networks, is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Listening comes firstAlmost 6m women are girls have been displaced. They're not all the same, and nor are their local communities, so we hold consultations everywhere we work in order to ask people what they need and what will work in their specific circumstances.So far, the project has talked to over 3,000 women and community leaders to help design our activities. In River Nile, many called for help to set up home gardens to grow vegetables. In Gedaref, where there is better access to land, women were more interested in learning how to turn raw farm goods into products that can be sold at higher prices in local markets. In Keassala, we were asked for equipment to bake bread and help to start small businesses.In each case, the project listened and designed a package of support that would meet these local needs."I don’t have to buy vegetables from the market anymore, making it much cheaper to make healthy meals for my family." Helping farmers improve nutrition and make extra moneyThe project provides women farmers with tools for preparing the land, high-quality seeds and training on "Good Agricultural Practices" that make the best use of local soils and conditions, including how to retain as much water as possible when growing plants in areas increasingly affected by climate change.In Gala Anahal, we've distributed 12,000 kg of high-quality sorghum. In River Nile, nearly 1,000 women attended trainings on how to set up home gardens, allowing them to grow vegetables for their families and for sale in nearby markets. We also provided tools, seedlings and organic fertilisers.In total, more than 3,000 women farmers have received some kind of support for farming.The World Food Programme estimates that 84% of women in Sudan do not get enough to eat, so programmes that allow women to boost nutritional intake for themselves and their families are key to maintaining health. The food sold in local markets also helps bring in a little extra money for essentials - like simple medicines and school fees, helping some of the estimated 2.5 million girls who are currently missing out on an education."My farm is thriving. If the harvest is successful this season, I hope to earn enough to buy a cart, which will make it easier to manage the farm." Setting up new businessesMany women want to make more money than they can from simple farming, so the project provides tools and training to help turn raw goods into higher value products. This might involve instruction on baking delicacies that meet local tastes (displaced women aren't selling into their home markets and tastes differ hugely across Sudan's vast area). Or it could be training how to make tea, coffee or perfumes.In some cases, a more significant capital outlay is needed to start a business - such as ovens for baking - but women with no financial backing can't access bank loans. Instead, we help women form financial cooperatives that can pool resources and lend money to themselves. In Gedaref and River Nile states, these Village Savings and Loan Associations now make finance available for some 500 women, including IDPs.We also provide classes on book-keeping and basic financial skills to help manage things once businesses are up and running. Safety and solidarity for womenEven when host communities are welcoming, these are impoverished areas and conditions are basic. Toilets are scarce and can be located some distance away. At night, in the dark, this poses risks for women. It's also dangerous for children, who can cut themselves on uneven ground or be bitten by snakes.In Gedaref, UNDP has provided solar lighting and solar torches for 20,000 displaced people at eight gathering sites, making them safer and allowing communal areas to be used more easily after dark.In Gedaraf, Kassala and River Nile, we're setting up centres for women, equipped with meeting spaces, computers, areas for agricultural demonstration plots and solar power. These centres allow women from IDP and host communities to learn from each other collaborate on business ideas and provide space for women-led financial cooperatives and small businesses to meet. The project has been running since December 2023. Originally scheduled to end in 2024, BMZ and GIZ have now provided additional funding to continue our work until February 2025.In addition to expanding the support outlined above, we are also talking to local energy providers to see if we can increase mobile phone coverage in rural areas. This will make it easier and more cost effective to provide ongoing advice on farming and businesses, as well as additional training courses that can be delivered by text even to basic mobile phones.The challenges are immense and no single project is going to meet them. In Sudan as a whole, some 26 million people are food insecure. In rural areas, this includes 97% of the communities hosting IDPs. In urban areas, research published by UNDP in November has documented the scale of damage from the war, noting drastic falls in employment, income and access to healthcare.These are huge numbers. But interventions like this, which empower people to support themselves rather than having to rely on aid, are the most cost effective way to improve food security and help economies recover. They can be done now - and done at scale - so that communities across Sudan can kickstart the process of early recovery and make themselves better prepared for whatever comes next.**********For more on UNDP's support to Sudan, please visit: www.undp.org/sudanFootnotesThe Building Resilience and Stability to Support Women Working in Agriculture and Women Led/Owned Enterprises project is made possible by funding from BMZ with support from GIZ.© 2025 UNDP Sudan , filtered_html

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Story

25 November 2024

“You don’t see young women in some camps”: Harrowing reports of sexual violence and healthcare attacks in Sudan’s Aj Jazirah State

AJ JAZIRAH, Sudan – “Some parents were killed while trying to protect their daughters from being raped,” said Sara*, a counsellor in Sudan’s eastern Aj Jazirah state and one of many health workers relaying shocking accounts of sexual violence in recent weeks. Since 20 October, escalating conflict in Aj Jazirah has led to the deaths of over 100 people, including health workers, and forced an estimated 340,000 to flee their homes in search of refuge. With at least six health facilities attacked, even essential services have been severely disrupted and patients are being transferred to alternative health centres, although only one in four are currently operational in Aj Jazirah.Reports from the State Ministry of Health indicate severe human rights violations have been carried out during the attacks, with women and girls from the ages of 6 to 60 subjected to rape and sexual assault.“You don’t see young women in some camps,” one health worker explained to UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. “Some girls who arrived in Gedaref said friends were left behind.”UNFPA-supported counsellors in Gedaref State are caring for women and girls in shelters who recently fled Aj Jazirah. Some reported seeing women throw themselves into the river to avoid being abused by armed men; in a displacement camp in Kassala State, others shared painful warnings from their families before they left: “If we see armed fighters come to the village and attempt to rape you, we will kill you to protect you before this happens.” The stigma of sexual violenceSuch is the level of stigma meted out to rape survivors – and their relatives – that many are turning to devastating measures to cope. “Survivors of sexual violence are running away and hiding because their families have threatened to end their lives to wash away dishonour,” explained a counsellor in Gedaref, who did not wish to be named for safety reasons.A number of girls said their brothers, fathers and uncles had provided them with knives and instructed them to “take their own lives if threatened with rape.” “We can’t access most [survivors] because, first, they are in denial or afraid of being accused or targeted,” continued the counsellor. “Second, they fear that if they disclose their experiences, they could lose their lives.” Lives uprooted, and upendedUNFPA has also heard alarming reports of looting, threats and widespread attacks on homes, prompting mass and sudden displacements. Aliya’s* family was attacked in Aj Jazirah, forcing her to flee on foot. “They took everything from us, we left with nothing. They beat us like dogs.” But their journey was no less arduous or dangerous. “We walked for seven days under the sun without anything to eat. Some women died on the way – there was no water to drink, they died of thirst.”Like countless other women caught up in this spiral of violence, Aliya is now the sole carer and provider for her uprooted family. “Our men were left behind in the village. I don’t know where my husband is… Maybe they killed him. I swear, I don’t know what has happened to him,” she told UNFPA.“I have six children. We need clothes, shoes, food, soap – we have nothing.”Mariam*, escaped to Kassala State after her husband was killed. “They came to our house, threatened us, and tried to take my daughters. I told them my daughters were married. Then they demanded gold and money, but I told them I had none. So they took me and my oldest daughter and beat us.“One of my daughters is immunocompromized, and I fear she might die from malnutrition,” she continued. “I use my own clothes to cover my newborn baby, who is only four months old.” A flexible, but underfunded, responseSince the escalation of violence in Aj Jazirah, UNFPA has provided over 1,200 consultations on sexual and reproductive health through five mobile health teams deployed to Gedaref State, with funding from the governments of Canada, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. An additional health team is planned to be sent to Al Butana, as well as a mobile health and psychosocial support unit to the Elfao Hospital, which UNFPA has equipped with clinical post-rape supplies. The New Halfa and Khashm El Girba hospitals in Kassala, were also provided with these essential kits.UNFPA is currently supporting 49 women and girls’ safe spaces across Sudan, providing essential gender-based violence prevention and response services. But with the escalation of violence and increasing insecurity, much more is needed to ensure safe, rapid access to life-saving support can continue to be provided for all women and girls in urgent need. *Names changed for privacy and protection, filtered_html

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25 November 2024

Navigating war, birth, and hope in Sudan

“After I found out that I was pregnant, I decided that I would never give up my child,” said Amna Salih.*When UN Women last spoke to Salih, she had recently given birth to a child after being raped by soldiers amid Sudan’s civil war.“Now, I'm finally holding my seven-month-old baby in my arms,” she said. Salih, who is 19 years old, said that she was determined to raise her child despite “the harshness of society after they found out that I was pregnant.”Hundreds of Sudanese women and girls have been raped during the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which has been ongoing since April 2023.In a September 2024 report, the Sudanese government’s Unit of Combating Violence Against Women and Children (CVAW), documented 216 incidents of sexual violence in the first 18 months of the conflict, and estimated that those documented cases constituted a mere 2 per cent of the total incidents of sexual violence. The report concluded that sexual violence is being used as a weapon in Sudan, with the objectives of humiliation for ethnic or ideological reasons, forced eviction and displacement, and creating chaos and a sense of insecurity.The lack of health care and psychosocial support adds to the burdens faced by survivors of sexual violence.“When he was born, [my son] was sick for a long time and had some health complications,” Salih said. “I didn’t have enough breast milk to feed him, and now it has stopped entirely.”UN Women has worked with the Sudanese Organization for Research and Development (SORD), to provide Salih and many others with psychological and medical support, helping her to rebuild her life and care for her child.Salih said that a social worker helped her secure healthcare and emotional support before the baby was born, and that a generous local family cared for her and her baby after birth. However, that family is facing economic hardship due to the war, making Salih’s future all the more uncertain.“I often think that the burden and responsibilities have become too much for them, because I don't have any source of income, especially since my baby needs external [powdered] milk, clothes, and health care,” Salih said. “I feel annoyed that I am a burden on them, even though they never complain or make me feel that way.”Children conceived as a result of conflict-related sexual violence, including Salih’s son, lack vital official documentation such as a full birth certificate identifying the child’s father. Sudan’s National Council for Childhood oversees social welfare programmes for children who need support, but the system lacks funding and consistent protocols—especially during wartime.“Society is ruthless,” Salih said. “You often hear hurtful words and nicknames used about those who do not know their fathers or mothers.”UN Women and SORD work to reach survivors at all levels, addressing both the direct impacts of conflict-related sexual violence and the structural and cultural consequences faced by women and girls.“Conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan is a significant issue, causing economic insecurity, social vulnerability, and limited access to essential services,” said Safia Alamin, Programme Specialist for Gender-based Violence and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse at UN Women Sudan.“The women, peace, and security resolutions of the UN Security Council emphasize the need for preventative and responsive measures to address this violence, including comprehensive support,” she said. “Despite this, many survivors face challenges in accessing services due to resource constraints, sociocultural stigma, and lack of information.”UN Women is also working with local partners to develop a comprehensive framework that integrates legal, psychological, and economic resources to support women like Salih and expand the reach of essential services. “I dream of completing my education to support my son in the future and to meet his needs and expenses,” Salih said. But sometimes, she added, “the future is completely dark for me.”*Salih's name has been changed to protect her safety., filtered_html

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31 October 2024

WHO trains health workers on rehabilitation in conflict

Since the onset of the war in Sudan in April 2023, many thousands of people have been injured, creating an enormous surge in complex life-changing injuries that require rehabilitation care. The non-conflict related needs for rehabilitation, such as for those who have experienced a stroke or for children with disability, remain or have increased due to consequences of displacement. Accessing rehabilitation services has become more complex while the need has grown. Many rehabilitation services, including the National Prosthetics and Orthotics Centre in Khartoum, have closed or are inaccessible. The war has severely disrupted those that remain, and much of the workforce has been displaced. Facilities cannot obtain materials and equipment needed to carry out their work, and assistive products such as wheelchairs and crutches are scarce.World Health Assembly resolution 76.6 reaffirmed that rehabilitation is an essential health service in emergencies. Not accessing or delayed access to rehabilitation services can have severe consequences for patients, resulting in secondary complications and preventable disability. Conversely, with early access to quality rehabilitation services, the length of hospital stay can be reduced, complications prevented or minimized, an individual’s independence optimized, and participation in community life enhanced. As a direct result, rehabilitation is a wise investment amid conflict, reducing the cost of ongoing care, optimizing patient outcomes, and supporting individuals to participate in education and employment.Even before the onset of conflict, rehabilitation services in Sudan were fragmented and poorly integrated into the health system. They were mostly only available to those able to pay out of pocket and primarily only available in the Capital, Khartoum, which is now at the centre of the conflict. Now, the need for rehabilitation services in Sudan has never been greater, and each rehabilitation professional is a precious resource for the health system.In May 2024, WHO, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development, delivered a five-day training course on rehabilitation in conflict in Port Sudan. The training included practical sessions on prioritizing patients, clinical scenarios, and an in-depth overview of managing complex patients in low-resource settings, such as burns and spinal cord injuries. The training course was the first of its kind to be run by WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and it is hoped it can be used as a model to roll out similar training across the region in conflict settings.Participants thanked WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health for the opportunity to be trained on rehabilitation care in conflict settings, especially when their country is undergoing conflict and such skills are urgently needed.Both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development expressed their appreciation for the World Health Organization's efforts in conducting the inaugural joint workshop on rehabilitation in conflict. They emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration in this critical area, especially in light of the country's current crisis.The training included a simulation exercise on managing a surge of injured persons needing early acute rehabilitation at a hospital. The exercise required course participants to work as a team to respond to the event using their existing and newly acquired trauma rehabilitation skills in a realistic mock scenario. Following the training, participants and local stakeholders developed a roadmap and action plan to scale up essential rehabilitation services during the conflict.Hala Khudari, Deputy WHO Representative ai to Sudan, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting trauma care as part of its emergency health response in Sudan. “WHO has been providing supplies for trauma management and emergency surgery since the start of the conflict. We have also conducted trainings on mass casualty management,” she said. “Rehabilitation is an integral part of trauma care, and we are not only pleased to be conducting this inaugural training but also remain committed to collaborating with our partners to provide the necessary support for the implementation of rehabilitation care in Sudan.”, filtered_html

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Press Release

27 February 2025

Protect civilians in Sudan, they have suffered enough in nearly two years of conflict

Port Sudan - Since the start of the conflict in Sudan in April 2023, civilians have been exposed to unprecedented levels of violence and suffering. Humanity is the first casualty of war, and the suffering of many displaced people has gone on for too long. I cannot imagine the sheer desperation of the situation.I am extremely concerned about recent reports of civilians unable – and in some cases actively prevented – from leaving areas of conflict, basically being held hostage in areas of active fighting. The passage of civilians fleeing to safety must be ensured, as called for under International Humanitarian Law.In Zamzam camp in Al Fasher, North Darfur, tens of thousands of people – the majority of whom are women, children and elderly – have been facing intermittent conditions of siege, shelling and ground attacks. They are hungry and children are malnourished.Relief workers have not been spared from the horrendous acts of violence and abuse, and critical humanitarian response efforts have had to be halted. Recently, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announced the suspension of all activities in Zamzam camp due to the escalation of fighting in the area that has put their staff at risk. The World Food Programme has stopped the distribution of life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Zamzam camp.The ongoing fighting is affecting civilians and civilian facilities, and is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of the almost two year-long conflict. Armed actors operating near or within populated areas are posing direct threats to civilians and blocking the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance.I urge all those engaged in this conflict to de-escalate and abide by their obligations under the International Humanitarian Law to safeguard civilians and civilian infrastructure, and uphold their responsibilities by using every possible measure to protect civilians.Conflict has rules that must be respected by all, no matter what. ***
For more information, please contact Alimbek Tashtankulov, tashtankulov@un.org, filtered_html

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Press Release

26 February 2025

Japan Deepens its Support to Emergency Health and Border Management in Sudan

Sudan is currently facing the world’s largest displacement crisis, with the humanitarian situation deteriorating to catastrophic levels. Overcrowded and unsanitary gathering areas for displaced people have become breeding grounds for deadly disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, dengue, and measles.A cholera outbreak was declared in August 2024, and by early January 2025, over 51,300 cases had been confirmed across 11 states, resulting in more than 1,350 associated deaths. Kassala and Gedaref states are experiencing the highest burden of this outbreak.“In these difficult and challenging times, when the people of Sudan are confronting unprecedented hardship, the Government of Japan continues its support, enabling us to deliver essential humanitarian assistance where it is most desperately needed,” said Mohamed Refaat, IOM Sudan Chief of Mission.The healthcare infrastructure is in dire straits, with 70 – 80 percent of health facilities in conflict-affected areas either non-functional or overwhelmed. An estimated 65 percent of the population lacks access to adequate healthcare.With this support, IOM will enhance life-saving healthcare services, accelerate responses to disease outbreaks, and strengthen humanitarian border management to ensure safe and dignified crossings for people on the move. The initiative will focus on the most vulnerable populations, particularly those displaced by conflict in Gedaref, Northern, and West Darfur states.Kentaro Mizuuchi, Chargé d’Affaires of Japan to Sudan stated: “Japan has long been committed to supporting initiatives that address Sudan’s critical healthcare crisis. In line with the IOM’s efforts to deliver life-saving healthcare services, this project aims to meet the urgent needs of Sudanese communities, especially in light of widespread displacement and the growing risk of infectious disease outbreaks. The country’s inadequate healthcare infrastructure has worsened the suffering of many, making it crucial for Japan to step forward and help alleviate the hardships faced by the Sudanese people.”The project will optimize resource utilization, empower local actors, and promote sustainable solutions. IOM will collaborate closely with the Federal and State Ministries of Health, Immigration Authorities, humanitarian stakeholders active in the country, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the implementation of the project.

Click here for Arabic press release.
For more information, please contact:
In Port Sudan: Fedza Lukovac,flukovac@iom.int
In Cairo: Joe Lowry, jlowry@iom.int
In Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int, filtered_html

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Press Release

26 February 2025

UNFPA and Government of Japan Launch $1 Million Project to Address Maternal Health and GBV Needs in Conflict-Affected Areas of Sudan

The project comes amid escalating violence and displacement in Sudan, with nearly 8.8 million people displaced since April 2023. This crisis has led to dire healthcare challenges, including severe shortages in maternal and reproductive health services, heightened GBV risks, and compromised healthcare infrastructure. "Women and girls are bearing the brunt of this conflict. With hospitals destroyed, referral systems broken, and rising food insecurity increasing GBV risks, this project will provide a lifeline for the most vulnerable," said Argentina Matavel, UNFPA Sudan Representative (a.i.). The project will focus on three key areas: Strengthening Maternal Health Services: UNFPA will support six emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) facilities by providing medical equipment, training healthcare providers, and ensuring operational resources. Mobile health and roving teams will deliver life-saving reproductive health services in remote areas, benefiting over 36,000 women and girls.Enhancing Referral Systems: Integrated mobile health teams will be deployed to areas with limited access to maternal healthcare. Referral pathways will also be reinforced through cash and voucher assistance (CVA), covering emergency obstetric care and transportation costs.Expanding GBV Prevention and Response Services: The project will establish two Women and Girls Safe Spaces and two One-Stop Service Centers for GBV survivors. These centers will provide comprehensive services, including GBV case management, psychosocial support, and clinical care. Additionally, community-based protection networks and awareness-raising campaigns will be implemented to mitigate GBV risks."The ongoing conflict in Sudan has severely impacted access to healthcare, leaving many women and girls vulnerable to gender-based violence and critical gaps in sexual and reproductive health services due to the destruction of hospitals and medical facilities. This UNFPA project will provide essential medical care to more than 36,000 women and girls, strengthen referral systems, and expand GBV prevention and response services. Recognizing the urgency of these needs, Japan is committed to supporting this initiative in partnership with UNFPA to help address maternal health and GBV challenges in conflict-affected areas of Sudan," said Kentaro Mizuuchi, Chargé d’Affaires of Japan to Sudan., filtered_html

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Press Release

26 February 2025

WFP forced to pause food distributions in Sudan's Zamzam camp as fighting intensifies

“Without immediate assistance, thousands of desperate families in Zamzam could starve in the coming weeks,” said Laurent Bukera, Regional Director for Eastern Africa and acting Country Director for Sudan. “We must resume the delivery of life-saving aid in and around Zamzam safely, quickly and at scale. For that the fighting must stop, and humanitarian organizations must be granted security guarantees.” In February, WFP and its partners only managed to provide 60,000 people with food vouchers, when heavy shelling forced the pause of aid operations earlier this month. The food vouchers allow families to purchase essential food supplies, such as cereals, pulses, oil and salt, directly from local markets which WFP helps to keep stocked through its local private sector retail network. The recent violence left Zamzam’s Central Market destroyed by shelling, pushing residents of the camp – estimated to be around 500,000 people – further away from accessing essential food and supplies.WFP and other partners have been working to deliver food and nutrition assistance to displaced people in and around North Darfur’s Zamzam camp. These people will not receive support until WFP is able to safely resume activities and get humanitarian assistance to the area. Famine was confirmed in Zamzam last August. Since then, WFP has managed to transport just one convoy of humanitarian supplies into the camp despite repeated attempts. Poor road conditions during the rainy season, purposeful obstruction by the Rapid Support Forces, and fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and the SAF-affiliated joint forces along the route to Zamzam has frustrated WFP’s many attempts. The closure of the Adre border in the first half of 2024 also prevented WFP from stockpiling food in Zamzam, which would have meant consistent support through the latter part of the year. “We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to assist millions of people facing famine or at risk across Sudan. We are trying every possible way to get vital aid into the hands of people whose lives hang in the balance,” Bukera said.To provide assistance when insecurity prevents access, WFP launched an online self-registration link for digital cash transfers in North Darfur. This initiative helps ensure that people receive critically necessary assistance when the agency must suspend its operations until conditions permit the safe passage of humanitarian personnel and convoys. WFP has made breakthroughs in delivering support to hard-to-reach areas across Sudan with areas of Gezira State and Khartoum reached for the first time since the war started. In 2024, two out of every three people in famine or risk of famine areas received WFP assistance. However, access remains sporadic, and two million people in 27 locations across Sudan are currently experiencing, or on the brink of, famine. Regular, monthly deliveries to starving communities are the only way to push back the famine in Sudan. # # #For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):Leni Kinzli, WFP/Sudan, Mob. +254 769602340Alessandro Abbonizio, WFP/ Nairobi, Mob. +254 723 001 639Annabel Symington, WFP/ Rome, Mob. +39 342 1884921Nina Valente, WFP/ London, Mob. +44 (0)796 8008 474Martin Rentsch, WFP/ Berlin, Mob +49 160 99 26 17 30Shaza Moghraby, WFP/ New York, Mob. + 1 929 289 9867Rene McGuffin, WFP/ Washington DC Mob. +1 771 245 4268, filtered_html

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