Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis: More Children Displaced by Conflict Than Any Other Nation

Mahmoud, a spirited teenager, displays a wide smile despite having lost his front teeth during childhood games. He is a Sudanese orphan, having experienced abandonment and displacement twice amidst his nation’s severe conflict. He is among nearly five million Sudanese children who have been deprived of almost everything, forced to relocate repeatedly in what has become the globe’s most severe humanitarian emergency. No other place globally sees such a high number of children displaced or so many individuals enduring extreme hunger. Famine has been officially recognized in one region, while numerous others are on the verge of starvation, uncertain of their next meal. Tom Fletcher, the United Nations’ new humanitarian chief, highlights, “It’s an invisible crisis.” He further states, “Twenty-five million Sudanese, more than half the country, need help now.” At a period marked by numerous unparalleled crises, with conflicts in regions such as Gaza and Ukraine commanding global assistance and focus, Mr. Fletcher selected Sudan for his initial field visit to draw attention to its dire situation. He informed the BBC during our week-long journey with him, “This crisis is not invisible to the UN, to our humanitarians on the front line risking and losing their lives to help the Sudanese people.” A majority of his on-the-ground team members are Sudanese citizens who have lost their residences and previous ways of life in the fierce power struggle between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Mr. Fletcher’s initial field trip included a visit to Mahmoud’s Maygoma orphanage in Kassala, eastern Sudan, which currently accommodates almost 100 children within a deteriorating three-story building repurposed from a school into a shelter. The children resided with their caregivers in Khartoum, the capital, until April 2023, when the army and RSF began hostilities against each other, ensnaring the orphanage and plunging the nation into a spiral of extreme violence, organized plunder, and appalling mistreatment. Subsequently, when the conflict extended to the orphans’ new refuge in Wad Madani, central Sudan, the survivors sought safety in Kassala. Upon being asked to make a wish, 13-year-old Mahmoud responded with an immediate, wide, gap-toothed smile. He stated, “I want to be a state governor so I can be in charge and rebuild destroyed homes.” For the 11 million Sudanese individuals displaced repeatedly, the greatest aspiration is to return to their remaining homes and reconstruct their lives. Presently, however, the struggle for daily sustenance remains a constant challenge. Delivering assistance to these populations presents an immense challenge for humanitarian organizations, including the UN. Following Mr. Fletcher’s four days of high-level discussions in Port Sudan, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army chief, declared on the social media platform X that he had authorized the UN to set up additional supply centers and utilize three more regional airports for aid distribution. While certain authorizations had been previously issued, others represented progress. This recent declaration coincided with the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) receiving approval to access affected communities in areas under RSF control, such as the Zamzam camp in Darfur, which shelters approximately 500,000 individuals and where famine was recently verified. Alex Marianelli, who leads WFP’s operations in Port Sudan, stated, “We’ve been pushing for months to get to these communities.” In a WFP warehouse behind us, Sudanese workers were observed singing while loading trucks with food boxes destined for the most severely impacted regions. Mr. Marianelli commented that he has not previously encountered such a challenging and hazardous operational setting. Some members of the humanitarian community have criticized the UN, asserting that its ability to act has been constrained by its recognition of General Burhan as Sudan’s de facto leader. In response, Mr. Fletcher explained, “Gen Burhan and his authorities control those checkpoints and the system of permits and access.” He added, “If we want to go into those areas we need to deal with them.” He expressed hope that the opposing RSF would similarly prioritize the populace. Mr. Fletcher further declared, “I’ll go anywhere, talk to anyone, to get this aid through, and to save lives.” In Sudan’s brutal conflict, accusations have been leveled against all belligerent factions for employing starvation as a method of warfare. Additionally, sexual violence is prevalent, which the UN characterizes as “an epidemic” within Sudan. The UN delegation’s visit occurred concurrently with the “16 days of activism,” a global campaign aimed at ending gender-based violence. The event held in a displaced persons camp in Port Sudan, the first established at the outbreak of the war, was particularly moving. Mr. Fletcher, discarding his prepared remarks, pledged, “We have to do better, we must do better,” as he addressed lines of Sudanese women and children beneath a canopy, who responded with clapping and ululation. When questioned about their perception of his visit, Romissa, an employee of a local aid organization who shared her difficult escape from Khartoum at the war’s onset, commented, “We really need help but the major job should be from the Sudanese themselves.” She concluded, “This is the time for the Sudanese people to stand together.” The Sudanese population has been endeavoring to achieve significant outcomes with limited resources. A modest two-room safe house named Shamaa, meaning “Candle,” offers solace to single women who have experienced abuse and to orphaned children. Its founder, Nour Hussein al-Sewaty, known as Mama Nour, also began her life at the Maygoma orphanage. She too was compelled to leave Khartoum to safeguard those under her protection. A woman currently residing with her had been raped prior to the conflict, then subsequently abducted and raped once more. Even the resilient Mama Nour has reached her limit. She stated, “We are so exhausted. We need help.” She continued, “We want to smell the fresh air. We want to feel there are still people in the world who care about us, the people of Sudan.” For additional news from the African continent, visit BBCAfrica.com. Follow updates on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa, or on Instagram at bbcafrica. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.