Children in Sudan face a dire humanitarian crisis after more than a year of civil war. On 1 August, famine was confirmed in Sudan’s North Darfur region, and elsewhere, malnutrition is high. A recent report exposed the violence against children, especially women and girls. Ms Limia Ahmed, the Deputy National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Sudan, says many children have lost their parents or guardians in the war or have been forced to live apart from their parents in different refugee or IDP camps.
What is daily life like for children in Sudan, particularly in areas affected by the civil war?
Children in Sudan, mostly in areas damaged by civil war, face a variety of challenges that severely impact their physical, emotional, and educational well-being. Lack of access to education and healthcare, restrictions on movement, constant security threats, and violence—including bombings, shootings, and the repercussions of armed conflict—have created a climate of fear and instability, making it difficult for the children to lead normal lives.
A considerable number of children have been forced to flee their homes into distant camps for internally displaced persons. These camps, usually overcrowded, provide harsh living conditions lacking basic necessities such as clean water, sanitation, and adequate shelter. Most of the medical facilities have been destroyed or are inaccessible, and there is a chronic shortage of medical supplies and personnel. Malnutrition is high due to severe food insecurity exacerbated by the breakdown of agricultural systems and supply chains.
How would you describe the impact of the civil war on the physical and mental well-being of children?
The armed conflict has severely impacted the physical and mental well-being of the population. The loss of livelihoods has plunged many into extreme poverty, leading to heightened tension and anxiety within households, affecting both adults and children. In addition to this, continuously rising inflation and safety concerns are forcing families to migrate to neighbouring countries despite the extreme risks, sometimes even through illegal migration. To make matters worse, adults and children have an increasing appetite for joining both sides of the conflicting parties, seeking security, safety, and a source of income.
The conflict has exposed children to extreme difficulties and deep psychological scars, negatively affecting their mental well-being in a situation with limited access to mental health or any other form of support. They are often caught in the crossfire, leading to physical injuries and disabilities, loss of loved ones, and even being exposed to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterised by nightmares, flashbacks, and severe anxiety, hindering their emotional and social development. Children often feel hopeless and helpless, struggling to find a sense of normality in their disrupted lives. Safe spaces for play and recreational activities are almost non-existent, depriving children of opportunities to manage the stress and anxiety.
There are also reports of a rise in sexual violence against children, particularly girls, which is causing immediate physical harm and long-term mental trauma. Children are forced into adult roles, taking on responsibilities far beyond their capabilities, which further impacts their mental health.
What is the situation of children without parental care in Sudan?
Many children have lost their parents or guardians due to bombings, armed attacks, and disease outbreaks, or even preventable diseases, compounded by the lack of healthcare. In addition, mass displacements have also caused the separation of many children from their families. Sometimes, separated children are forced to live apart from their parents in different refugee or IDP camps.
The situation of these children is critical, with increasing numbers losing their parents due to conflict, displacement, and/or economic hardship. They face numerous challenges, including harsh living conditions, exploitation, and psychological trauma.
These children are vulnerable and in need of urgent support and protection, which requires a coordinated international response, with adequate resources, skills, and long-term solutions.
Can you tell us what work SOS Children’s Villages in Sudan is doing to support children and families in the community – and minimise the risk of child-family separation?
In addition to the alternative care programme, SOS Children’s Villages in Sudan is currently implementing a comprehensive three-year (2024 to 2026) emergency response programme funded by the Dutch Relief Alliance (DRA). Targeting about 32,500 people, the programme will provide integrated life-saving interventions focusing on the most severely affected individuals, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host communities, addressing their urgent needs and enhancing their resilience. The programme focuses on protection, WASH, food security, and livelihoods. The programme prioritises protecting children from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence, and is establishing child-friendly spaces, providing psychosocial support, and building the capacity of the community to prevent and respond to safeguarding matters, as well as distributing food items to prevent malnutrition.
SOS Children’s Villages in Sudan will continue to collaborate closely with the DRA and local partners to ensure a coordinated and effective response, leveraging the strengths and resources of multiple organisations to maximise impact and efficiency.
What are some of your biggest challenges in carrying out your work?
In the context of ongoing conflict and instability, it is quite challenging to support children where various obstacles hinder the ability to deliver aid effectively, ensure the safety of the staff and beneficiaries, and achieve sustainable development outcomes.
The highly volatile environment and instability pose significant risks to staff members and the target populations, making it difficult to operate safely and consistently. Many areas, especially those most affected by the conflict, are inaccessible due to security concerns, roadblocks, and checkpoints, or active clashes.
The limited support in resource mobilisation from the international development community is another challenge. The overshadowing of the Sudan crisis by other global emergencies contributes to a lack of funding that limits our response capacity.
The conflict has also caused limitations in reliable communication networks in many parts of Sudan, hampering coordination among humanitarian actors and delaying critical decision-making and response efforts.
Another challenge is the massive psychological pressure, high levels of stress, and burnout among the humanitarian actors in Sudan, who witness the suffering of people and deal with traumatic events, as well as working under the constant threat of violence.
Despite these formidable challenges, our commitment to supporting children in Sudan remains unwavering. We continuously adapt our strategies, seeking innovative solutions, and collaborate with local and international partners to overcome obstacles. Addressing these challenges requires sustained support, flexible funding, and a collective effort from the global community to ensure that the children of Sudan receive the care, protection, and opportunities they deserve.
How are the children and caregivers who were relocated from Khartoum doing in this crisis?
After successfully relocating children and caregivers away from immediate conflict zones, SOS Children’s Villages in Sudan was able to avert the risk of exposure to violence and direct threats to their lives. This provided the children, young people, and families a degree of safety from the immediate dangers of the conflict.
The relocated families still face security concerns and conflict-related risks in their new locations. This uncertainty causes ongoing anxiety and stress among the children and young people. Moreover, the psychological impact on the children and young people remains the same due to the fact that they left their homes and belongings behind, as well as the challenges of adjusting to a new environment and social dynamics.
The disruption of their education has massively affected the children. Children mention that they miss school and their friends and that they would like to go back to school.
Ensuring the well-being of children, young people, and families requires a sustained and coordinated effort to provide a relatively stable environment to rebuild their lives and secure a hopeful future. The resilience of these children and caregivers is remarkable, and with the right support, they can overcome the difficulties they face.
What’s your message to the outside world about the war and its impact on children?
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has created a humanitarian crisis with devastating effects on children, who are among the most vulnerable. These children are forgotten by the international community due to the Israel-Palestine conflict and the situation in Ukraine. The children in Sudan are also suffering from unimaginable difficulties, but their voices are often unheard on the global stage. Many have lost their families, homes, and the chance to pursue an education. They are robbed of their childhood, subjected to violence, harm, and severe trauma.
The international community should be more supportive and respond with the same urgency and compassion shown to other conflict regions. Humanitarian aid, diplomatic efforts, and media coverage are crucial to bring the needed relief and hope to Sudanese children. Therefore, we urge the international development community and donors to extend their immediate support for the hope and future of these thousands of vulnerable children.
We call on global leaders and development actors to put more diplomatic and political pressure towards ending the conflict in Sudan. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that these children receive the protection, care, and opportunities they deserve.