UNICEF: War Has Shattered the Lives of Millions of Children
Sudan Events – Agencies
London is hosting a conference today (Tuesday) on Sudan, aimed at mobilizing the international community to end the devastating conflict that has persisted day by day for two years. Over 30 million people urgently need assistance amid international reports highlighting dire conditions for children.
The war broke out on April 15, 2023, between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as “Hemedti,” following a power struggle between the former allies. The conflict has divided the country into rival zones of influence and triggered one of the worst humanitarian crises in years.
According to the UN, the war has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced over 13 million people, plunging the country — with a population of 50 million — into severe humanitarian crisis and growing famine.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said hours before the conference opened: “Two years is too long. Sudan’s violent war has shattered the lives of millions, yet much of the world still turns a blind eye.”
The UK Foreign Office said more than 30 million people are in urgent need of help. The conference, co-hosted by the UK, EU, Germany, France, and the African Union, brings together ministers from 14 countries including Saudi Arabia and the United States. Lammy stated the goal is “to agree on a path to end the suffering.”
Lammy also announced new aid worth £120 million ($139.5 million), intended to deliver vital supplies — especially for vulnerable children — and support survivors of sexual violence.
The Sudanese government was not invited to the conference and protested to the UK, criticizing what it described as “a British government approach that equates a sovereign UN member state since 1956 with a terrorist militia committing genocide, crimes against humanity, and unprecedented atrocities against civilians.”
UNICEF: War Has Devastated the Lives of Millions of Children in Sudan
UNICEF reported that during the ongoing war in Sudan, the number of grave violations against children’s rights has increased by 1,000%, urging the world not to abandon the millions of affected children.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement Monday: “Two years of war and displacement have shattered the lives of millions of children across Sudan.”
The statement highlighted grave violations including killings, maiming, abductions, forced recruitment, and sexual violence against children. These violations, according to UNICEF, have increased by 1,000% and have spread nationwide.
According to figures obtained by AFP from UNICEF — which are believed to be underreported — the number of children killed or injured rose from 150 confirmed cases in 2022 to approximately 2,776 cases in 2023–2024. Attacks on schools and hospitals also increased from 33 verified incidents in 2022 to 181 in the past two years.
In the same period, the number of children needing humanitarian aid has doubled from 7.8 million in early 2023 to over 15 million today, according to UNICEF. Russell said: “Sudan is currently facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, yet it receives little global attention.” She added, “We cannot abandon the children of Sudan.”
She also called on the international community to act to end the war, noting that 462,000 children in Sudan are at risk of severe acute malnutrition between May and October.
Guterres Condemns Flow of Arms and Fighters
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday condemned the continued flow of arms and fighters into Sudan, where a “brutal” war has raged for two years. “I am deeply concerned about the continued influx of weapons and fighters into Sudan, which allows the conflict to persist and spread across the country,” he said in a statement.
Guterres renewed his call for an end to the conflict and added:
“External support and arms transfers must stop. Those with the most influence over the warring parties must use it to improve the lives of the Sudanese people — not prolong the catastrophe.”
He emphasized: “The only way to ensure the protection of civilians is to end this senseless conflict.” The war, which began on April 15, 2023, has caused a massive humanitarian disaster, killed tens of thousands, displaced over 13 million people, and pushed several regions into famine.
Germany: Conflict Is the “Greatest Humanitarian Disaster of Our Time”
Germany announced it would allocate an additional €125 million in humanitarian aid. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Monday that this funding would allow aid organizations to provide food and medicine to war victims and help “stabilize the situation in neighboring countries” that have reached their limits in handling the crisis. She stated: “Death is a constant reality in vast parts of Sudan,” describing the conflict as “the greatest humanitarian disaster of our time.”
UN: Continued War Will Have Catastrophic Consequences
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, warned on Tuesday that continued neglect of Sudan’s war — now entering its third year — would have “catastrophic consequences” for both the country and the region.
“After two years of unrelenting suffering, the world can no longer afford to look away from this emergency,” Grandi said, urging for every effort to restore peace in Sudan. He also warned Europeans of potential waves of Sudanese refugees if sufficient aid is not provided, according to AFP.
Human Rights Watch called on conference participants to “urgently ensure protection of civilians and unhindered humanitarian access” and urged them to make “concrete commitments,” such as deploying a civilian protection mission.
International Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric warned that civilians in Sudan are “trapped in an endless nightmare of death and destruction,” and that a third year of war would have “catastrophic consequences.”
