Sudan’s crisis deepens as violence, famine threaten over 30 million people, half of them children

“Right now, an estimated 12.1 million women and girls – and increasingly men and boys – are at risk of sexual violence.

This is an 80 percent increase from the previous year,” said Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF.

Russell was speaking when briefing the United Nations (UN) Security Council on the situation in Sudan, according to a report by Africanews.

“With its economy and social services system and infrastructure in near collapse, and no end to the conflict in sight, we estimate that nearly two thirds of Sudan’s total population – more than 30 million people – will require humanitarian assistance this year. 16 million of them are children – and they are paying a terrible price,” she said.

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is said to be escalating rapidly, with famine spreading to hotspots across the country.

“Famine is occurring in hotspots in at least five locations in Sudan, with an estimated 1.3 million children under five living in these areas. Over three million children under five are at imminent risk of deadly disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, and dengue, due to a failing health system.

“The dire situation is exacerbated by the collapse of infrastructure, with 16.5 million school-aged children out of school, and nearly an entire generation at risk.

“This is not just a crisis, it is a poly-crisis affecting every sector, from health and nutrition to water, education, and protection,” Russell added.