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Millions of Sudanese children at risk as UNICEF urges urgent support

Women and children who have been displaced due to the ongoing way in Sudan

By Issa Hussein | Saturday, January 27, 2024

"Close to 3.5 million children have been forced to flee their homes due to the escalating violence," declared the UN organization.

The ongoing war in Sudan has placed the lives of over 14 million children in dire peril, prompting UNICEF to issue an urgent plea for lifesaving humanitarian support today. This staggering figure marks the highest ever recorded for a single country and coincides with Sudan facing the world's largest child displacement crisis.

"Close to 3.5 million children have been forced to flee their homes due to the escalating violence," declared the UN organization.

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UNICEF underscored that the conflict's devastating impact continues to threaten the lives and futures of families and children, severely disrupting access to basic health and nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, and protection services.

Furthermore, frontline workers remain unpaid, and many facilities crucial for children's well-being stand closed, damaged, or destroyed, according to the UN organization.

Adding to the grim picture, Sudan faces one of the world's highest rates of malnutrition. More than 3 million children under five suffer from acute malnutrition, and 700,000 could perish from its severest form if they don't receive immediate medical intervention.

In response to this dire situation, UNICEF called for an immediate ceasefire across Sudan and reiterated its strong appeal to all parties involved in the conflict to uphold international and human rights law. The organization emphasized the critical need to protect children and ensure unimpeded humanitarian access for children and families in affected areas.