Sudan Now World’s Largest Child Displacement Crisis – Save The Children

The international organisation for the protection of children’s rights, Save The Children, reports an alarming increase in the displacement of children in Sudan caused by persistent conflict, saying at least 7,600 are being displaced daily in the northeastern African country. 

“We are seeing abhorrent levels of violence in Sudan. The human rights violations are severe, widespread, and ongoing- and yet the crisis is being entirely ignored. There is a prevailing climate of impunity. Children are being forced to flee, sometimes in the middle of the night to arrive at crowded gathering sites, where infectious diseases can spread easily”, Save the Children’s Country Director, Dr Arif Noor said in a report published yesterday, Nov. 28. 

“Despite the magnitude of the needs, the necessary political and financial attention is not there. The Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) remains to be one-third funded. This is despite Sudan having nearly 25 million people in desperate need of the basics- food, shelter, protection.

“Sudan is a monumental emergency, and it needs a monumental response by global players. We need urgent and increased resources to protect children and families now- while they are displaced- but we also need structures in place to protect them on the move, and when they arrive at the saturated gathering sites.” 

Since mid-April, the crisis between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has resulted in the deaths of at least 10,000 people and the displacement of at least 6.3 million. 

Sudan holds the world’s largest child displacement crisis. According to the latest analysis by Save The Children, the seven months of conflict have caused havoc and horror, leading to one eight of the children being displaced. 

This persistent conflict has caused children to suffer life-changing injuries, severe psychological trauma, and even sexual violence, which has led them to urgently seek medical care from Save The Children’s medical and child protection staff. These violent attacks on villages and towns are also forcing parents to flee to protect their children from kidnapping, recruitment, maiming and death.

With a population of over 48 million people in Sudan, 23 million of which are children, more than 3 million children have been recorded to be displaced from their homes, seeking shelter in camps, schools, and displacement centres, having fled violence since mid-April 2023.

In the span of the conflict, more than 5 million people have been displaced, with an additional 1.3 million people seeking safety and protection in neighbouring countries.

The third week of October held the highest number of displacements, with about 150, 000 children forced from their homes.

Displacement centres are also being attacked, with 1,300 people reported to be killed.

“They went from house to house to search for men and killed each one they found,” Montesser Saddan, who barely escaped the killing said.

UNICEF has received allegations of over 3, 100 severe violations, including the killing and maiming of children, which is feared to be only the tip of the iceberg.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, Save The Children has reached 220,000 people, including 120,000 children, and currently operates medical and nutrition centres to provide food and other essentials to displaced families.