Sudan has endured 500 days of relentless conflict, resulting in thousands of deaths and leaving millions in desperate need of humanitarian aid, with women and girls suffering the most. Over 18,000 people have been killed, 33,000 injured, and 10 million displaced, including 7 million internally, making Sudan the world’s largest displacement crisis. The conflict has also triggered the world’s largest hunger crisis, with millions on the brink of famine. As the fighting continues, Sudan’s future remains grim.
“The situation is catastrophic, and the world must stop turning a blind eye to the escalating devastation and suffering,” warns Abdirahman Ali, CARE Sudan Country Director. “The war has destroyed the healthcare system, leaving many without access to care. Aid workers struggle to reach those in need, and food prices soar as farms remain barren due to a missed planting season. Women and girls face disproportionate impacts, living in constant fear of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).”
With over 75% of health centers destroyed, countless Sudanese are without essential medical services, exacerbating the suffering of an already vulnerable population. Pregnant mothers risk losing their babies due to complications, and civilians injured in the heavy fighting must travel long distances for care.
“War shattered our peaceful life in Khartoum, and since April 2023, we have endured immense suffering,” shared Hawa, a 60-year-old mother, describing the challenges of seeking help for her injured husband and daughter. “When the war began, my husband was shot on his way to the market. Desperate for medical care, we fled with my pregnant daughter. The journey was a nightmare — long and grueling — with countless checkpoints and no reliable transportation. We saw many dead bodies along the way, and often, we didn’t have enough food. My husband finally received treatment, and my daughter gave birth when we found safety in Kassala, but despite starting a small business, I struggle to provide enough food for my family.”
Compounding the suffering across Sudan is ongoing flooding that has destroyed homes and washed out displaced persons camps. The rains have made roads impassable, complicating aid delivery, and have left many exposed to cholera, which continues to spread and has so far claimed 22 lives.
An estimated 25.6 million people, nearly half of Sudan’s population, face severe hunger, with millions on the brink of starvation. During the planting season, many farmers lacked access to markets to obtain inputs. Those who could access markets found farming supplies prohibitively expensive, leading to low yields. Some regions have already been declared famine zones, while in others, the situation remains unknown due to a lack of access. In IDP camps in East Darfur, people have no choice but to eat leaves.
“Conflict, hunger, disease, and floods have left millions trapped in devastation and are killing Sudanese by the day,” said Abdirahman Ali. “The world is 500 days late to silence the guns, allow peace to prevail, and scale up the response to growing humanitarian needs in Sudan.”
Ending this devastating crisis is urgent and requires collective action to stop the conflict and address human suffering. Warring parties must reach and abide by a country-wide ceasefire and uphold international humanitarian law (IHL), including ceasing the targeting of civilians, refraining from using sexual violence as a weapon of war, protecting humanitarian workers and assets, and removing all obstacles to sustained, timely, effective, and principled humanitarian aid delivery to those in urgent need. Donors must urgently fund a gender-sensitive multisectoral response that addresses growing protection and GBV needs and demands an end to violations, creating an enabling environment for the humanitarian response. The international community must act now to prevent further suffering.